Pine twigs + birch bark is how I start most fires. It will flare up even when it's wet, and can be lit with a spark pretty easily. Little dead pine twigs can be found at the base of the trees, where they're off the ground and protected from rain. I try to grab a few handfuls when I can (from trees that are well off the trail, etc.), along with little scraps of birch bark, so I am always carrying ready tinder. They go into a little dry-bag so no matter what happens, I can always make a small fire at a moment's notice.

But once you get the fire going, pine is sub-par. It burns too fast, and becomes a smoky, sparky waste of space in a matter of minutes. Once I have a good fire going, I like to use anything but pine... oak or cedar if it's around. Birch isn't half bad either.

But I'm not too picky.