To start a fire is beneficial to the French (6)

I believe the answer is:

kindle

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'to start a fire' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'beneficial to the french' is the wordplay.
'beneficial' becomes 'kind' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'to the french' becomes 'le'.
'kind'+'le'='KINDLE'

'is' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for kindle that I've seen before include "Cause to blaze" , "Set alight" , "Make something start burning" , "Cause to begin burning" , "Modern book store" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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