Book about WildFires recommendation

[ndmarine]

Was hoping for a book recommendation about wildfires in the west. I grew up hearing about how restrictions on logging led to huge wildfires but then recently challenged those views after reading “This Land” by Christopher Ketcham (recommended here on rokslide - thoroughly enjoyed that one/felt like it was an eye opener) in which he argues that mature timber resists fire better than does logged areas. Hoping to learn more on this topic…

Can anyone recommend a good read on wildfires in the west?!!

 

[String&stick]

Not in reference to anything recent but "the Big Burn". Is a great book on the starting of our national parks and Forrest, the beginnings of the Forrest service, teddy Roosevelt, and a massive wild fire.

 

[mlgc20]

Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean is excellent. It’s about one specific fire. Not fires in general. But, a great read.

 

[Bighorner]

The big burn is good. I think it would address some of what you are looking for.

 

[TheTone]

Both recommended books are what I would have suggested

 

[AG8]

Again, more on fire fighting than straight up fire science, but I would recommend Fire on the Mountain and Smokejumper.

 

[.204smokechaser]

Not a book per day, but there’s a bit of peer reviewed literature showing that the 10 AM policy and putting fires out has contributed to where we are at fire wise today.

I’m a student of fire until I retire and can say I need out one or two nights a week on active fire, fire history, habitat types and fire, effects fire has on fish and animals, and post fire effects. Nerding out on this topic the last 9 years has made me a better hunter, fisherman, and trapper.

 

[Wellsdw]

I would suggest gearing your search around fire ecology. That’s kinda the phase associated with what you are looking for. And yes mature timber resists fire ….until it doesn’t.(see northern Cali) then you have fire in mature growth that can devastate the land. Those areas where mature tree density is at sometime 3-4-500% of what it should be almost have to be logged selectively and appropriately. Prescribed fire will have little affect on those areas. Long story short. You can’t fix decades, hell 200 years of forest intervention in a few years for sure. Logging is needed in some areas, prescribe fire is needed in a lot of areas. And wildfires are needed in other areas. It really is a fascinating topic. Prime example of when humans play Mother Nature, we really f#%* things up. Good luck with your read

 

[BluMtn]

The big burn is a fascinating subject. It is also where the forest service learned how devastating a forest fire can be. Also that fire is how the Pulaski fire ax was thought up. Edward Pulaski was working for the forest service in that area when the fire occurred. He developed the idea into a working tool. He is responsible for saving his fire crew by forcing them into an old mine shaft he knew about as the fire raced over the top of them. Story goes he had to hold them there at gun point. You can visit the mine shaft South of Wallace Id. they have made a hiking trail to it and placed a monument there. If you want the quick version on the fire PBS did a Docudrama on it.

The Big Burn | American Experience | PBS

In the summer of 1910, hundreds of wildfires raged across the Northern Rockies. By the time it was all over, more than three million acres had burned and at least 78 firefighters were dead. It was the largest fire in American history.

www.pbs.org

 

[Staubah]

Not in reference to anything recent but "the Big Burn". Is a great book on the starting of our national parks and Forrest, the beginnings of the Forrest service, teddy Roosevelt, and a massive wild fire.

I am currently reading this. It’s a great book.

 

[Warmsy]

I listened to that ketcham audiobook, as recommended here on rokslide, and I had to turn it off because it sounded like an entitled teenager whining about an incorrect worldview.

 

[turbobrick]

Norman Maclean's Young Men and Fire is superb as everyone already mentioned, and it does go into some fire theory. Norman's son John wrote a ton of really excellent books about other fires. Most of the easy to read stuff out there will focus more on the big fires with stories of lost life, or compelling arsonist stories. Most of them do discuss fire theory to some degree, and all offer great insight to the human side of fighting fires. Several of them reference more technical writings on the topic, and you can just follow that down the rabbit hole. Other great books about wild land fires:

The Fire Line, Fernanda Santos
My Lost Brothers, Brendan McDonough
Smoke Jumper, Jason Ramos
Under a Flaming Sky, Daniel James Brown
John Maclean:
Fire on the Mountain
The Thirtymile Fire
Fire and Ashes
The Esperanza Fire

 

[Clarktar]

Jumping fire is a great book

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[TheTone]

The thing the Maclean books really emphasized to me was the risk we are putting crews into often just to save trees, brush and grass. People’s lives aren’t worth that

 

[Bighorner]

Very respectfully, Young Men and Fire is about a specific fire that is treated as a case study to this day. Every wildland guy I have ever known with more than a season under their belt is familiar with that fire and the lessons learned from it.