Varies with season and location. Where, and when, I hike, hunt, fish, etc varies from one extreme to the other so far as moisture thus challenge of fire starting.
When it is very dry in my area, fire may well be more risky than no-fire. Fire management is more important than fire starting. [bleep] burns explosively. I generally pack a butane lighter and a pack of "windproof" matches.
When it is wet, especially after it's been wet for a while, fire is nearly impossible. 100+ inches of rain a year .. that sort of thing. The only real solution is to not need it in the first place. That means making choices that avoid chances to get wet. Skip stream crossings. Neoprene rain gear instead of breathable barriers that can fail -and- go slow enough you don't sweat so you don't get wet from the inside. In those situations, I'll sometimes carry .. I forget what they're called, but basically they look like 1/2 x 1/2 x 4 inch pressboard sticks soaked in paraffin. I have road flares in my truck but I don't carry them into the woods. Often the wood in the forest is so wet it has to be "cooked" for an hour or two before it dries enough to burn. Fire is endothermic. Stay dry.
