How is the story's conflict related to the theme?

If you think about it, fire was the most important thing man had going for him in the wilderness. It is warmth, it is light and it means life. An inability to build a fire, especially in winter, meant certain death. The man failed to heed his dire circumstances. He did not respect the signs and rhythms of nature and was, in the end, unable to perform this life saving task (building a fire).