Product Description
These spine-tingling accounts of nature's awesome destructive powers take readers behind the fire lines of BC's most fabled blazes. Keith Keller vividly chronicles the advent of firefighting innovations from bulldozers to airborne Rapattack crews - and nature's persistent indifference to that arsenal.Wildfire Wars also reveals how firefighting brings out the best and worst in the rough-and-ready lot who tackle this job. Keller tells of political infighting and clashing egos among Forest Ministry brass, and of booze, drugs and arson on the fireline. But he also finds heroes at every link in the chain of command, from fire bosses who must make quick life-and-death decisions on little more than instinct to ordinary firefighters who risk their lives to save lumber, livestock and each other. Some are larger-than-life characters, such as Percy Minnabarriett, a Native crew foreman and rodeo rider in the Ashcroft fire district whose leg was crushed by a bulldozer."They'd managed to keep him in hospital at Kamloops for a year or so, but after he got out he repeatedly frustrated his doctor by cutting his hip-length cast to below the knee so he could get back to riding horses. Finally the doctor sealed him in steel rods, but they only lasted until Minnabarriet had [his wife] Marie pick him up a new blade for his hacksaw." ... Read more

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One day, an uncontrollable fire devastates the forest, and the animals believe their world has ended. Soon, however, new growth provides them with a bounty of food, and they realize how important fire is to the health of the forest. ... Read more

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A story told through the eyes of a child, Alison Carlisi, of three generations watching the forest changing after a fire. Alison accompanied her mother, Teraline Foxx, fire ecologist and artist, in the field studying the aftermath of fire. The book can be used in the classroom from second to sixth grade. ... Read more

Product Description

Shaped by fire for thousands of years, the forests of the western United States are as adapted to periodic fires as they are to the region's soils and climate. Our widespread practice of ignoring the vital role of fire is costly in both ecological and economic terms, with consequences including the decline of important fire-dependent tree and undergrowth species, increasing density and stagnation of forests, epidemics of insects and diseases, and the high potential for severe wildfires.

Flames in Our Forest explains those problems and presents viable solutions to them. It explores the underlying historical and ecological reasons for the problems associated with our attempts to exclude fire and examines how some of the benefits of natural fire can be restored Chapters consider:

• the history of American perceptions and uses of fire in the forest
• how forest fires burn
• effects of fire on the soil, water, and air
• methods for uncovering the history and effects of past fires
• prescribed fire and fuel treatments for different zones in the landscape

Flames in Our Forest presents a new picture of the role of fire in maintaining forests, describes the options available for restoring the historical effects of fires, and considers the implications of not doing so. It will help readers appreciate the importance of fire in forests and gives a nontechnical overview of the scientific knowledge and tools available for sustaining western forests by mimicking and restoring the effects of natural fire regimes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Why We Need a Policy Shift in Wildland Fire Fighting
During this past summer, at least 12 firefighters have died tragically while fighting fires in California forests. Most, if not all, of these deaths occurred while battling fires that were natural occurring, lightning sparked fires in wilderness areas that were miles away from any buildings, towns or property of value.

Since fire exclusion became policy in our forests, the amount of fuel has increased steadily to the point where of forests, particularly in wilderness areas, are tinder boxes ready to explode. Some of that happened this summer, but there are many millions of acres in the West in a similar position. In addition to risking lives, we are spending millions and millions of dollars to protect something that really does not need protection.

This book offers a reasonable alternative to continued fire suppression in wildland areas and offers solutions that are workable and will return forests to their natural states. It is well written, heavily footnoted and presented in a style that allows readers with a minimum amount of knowledge of the science to be able to understand the information. Highly recommended!

Best summary of the current fire environment in North America today
Steve Arno is one of America's premier fire scientists.A solid professional with a knack for writing about technical things in layman's terms, Arno's book is 180 pages of succinct, highly readable, very accurate writing about this critical issue.What is happening with fire in America today?Why does it matter?What do we know?What have we learned?What can we do about it?If you don't read another book about fire, this is the one.Arno's followup, Mimicking Nature's Fire, is an outstanding primer on prescribed fire.I can't wait for Steve's next effort.This is the kind of science that anyone can understand and his conclusions that fire is both necessary and out of balance are compelling, as are his recommendations for where we go from here.To continue to suffer fires like the recent Tahoe disaster, human-caused in every way, with a book like this already showing us the way to more responsible living in the fire environment is just criminal malpractice on the part of citizens and angencies who continue to ignore the truths that Arno so clearly sees.Read this book and then buy a copy for your Senator. ... Read more

Product Description
A gripping tale of a tragic forest fire and the smoke jumpers who lost their lives fighting it.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

inside the hero
If you want to explore the humanity beneath the "American hero"--the moral complexity of decisions, the hopes, dreams, and disappointments--then this is the book for you.After the Fire's wealth of behind-the-scenes details place you right on the burning hillside with the firejumpers,while the haunted reflections of the protagonist connect to every person's struggle to make sense of loss.The simple wisdom that comes with an earned resolution will surprise you.

Wonderful writer
What a wonderful first book! I was hooked the moment I opened and read the first page. Robinson takes you inside Barnes life and keeps you there. You feel his sadness at losing his crew, you see the ghosts that haunt him, but more importantly, Robinson puts you in the middle of the fire that starts all of this.It was a book I couldn't put down. ... Read more

Product Description
No one who boarded the Limited No. 4 train on the morning of September 1, 1894, anticipated disaster down the tracks, but by three o"clock in the afternoon, the sky was as black as night and everyone knew something was wrong. Soon burning trees lined either side of the tracks, illuminating the smoky sky like gigantic
torches. With fire ahead and fire behind, how would the passengers escape?
Amid the flames of the most devastating firestorm in U.S. history, the train"s porter, John Wesley Blair, acted with courage and compassion throughout that terrible day. Here, finally, is the untold story of a hero whom history almost forgot.
A brief mention of the Hinckley fire in a nature magazine inspired Joi Nobisso to find out more about this awesome event. After several years of research, she uncovered the tale of John Blair"s bravery and knew she had to tell his story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire
Advertised as "like new-used."It arrived with one tiny "bump" on the spine -- other than that it was in excellent condition for a "used book!!!Very moving, true story also!Thanks!!!!

AMAZING!
Another fabulous , wonderful, and insightful book authored by Mrs. Nobisso!Do not stop with just one or two of her books.All of her books are to read, enjoyed, and passed down! ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / Action ... Read more

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This book contains peer-reviewed papers presented at the Second International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Forest Fires. Organized by the Wessex Institute of Technology, UK, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, the conference was.held in Kos, Greece, in June, 2010. The papers cover important topics in the field of prevention and fighting of forest fires.Forest fire scenarios are impacted by climatic trends and changes in climatic extremes, as well as by human pressure on the natural environment. Forecasting the effects of both climatic and anthropic factors and separating their effects on forest fire frequency may be particularly difficult, but it is essential to improve our knowledge of the probability of forest fire occurrence and to better organize prevention and fighting activities. Considering the many fire-prone environments around the world and the meteorological parameters known to affect fire risk, the ability to estimate the probability of fire will be increasingly important in coming years. The papers from the conference will contribute to greater understanding of all these factors, so that we can prevent, monitor, and better manage forest fires. ... Read more

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Discusses different kinds of forest fires, what causes them, where they occur, and how they can be prevented. ... Read more

Product Description
This monograph especially emphasises the importance of the scope, by which forest fires, from year to year endanger the environment, including casualties. Fire seized areas in 2000 in Europe only were over 920,000 ha. Cases relating to relatively small locations, but which burned in unsettled areas, are often unidentified, because the satellite sensors have limited possibilities in the view of the size of the area they can detect. It is similar to those situations on the fires with relatively short temporal range, and during that interval thick clouds are above such area for example and other admixtures stirring the atmosphere. It is necessary to point out that all those fire seized places, spatially limited on smaller localities, often cause fire spreading by their wideness and a sort of a plant mass, relief and geologic surface, humidity and precipitation or by suitable combinations. On the other side, especially in the last few years, we are witnesses to events when fire has seized tens of thousands hectares just in a 'wave', also penetrating through the urban areas. ... Read more

Product Description
This book critically examines the way newspaper and television journalists covered three events that were reported as disasters. The work focuses on the processes by which journalists identified sources and gathered data, on their professional values, and on how those values affected the reporting. The book is based on an examination of thousands of newspaper and television stories, surveys of more than 600 journalists and their sources, evaluations of news accounts by independent experts, personal visits to the catastrophe sites, and interviews with more than 100 reporters, correspondents, producers, editors, and their sources. ... Read more

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What is fire? How are wildfires ignited? How do California's weather and topography influence fire? How did the California Indians use fire? In the spirit of his highly acclaimed Introduction to Air in California and Introduction to Water in California, David Carle now turns to another fundamental element of the natural world, giving a fascinating and concise view of this complex topic. His clearly written, dramatically illustrated book will help Californians, including the millions who live near naturally flammable wildlands, better understand their own place in the state's landscape. Carle covers the basics of fire ecology; looks at the effects of fire on wildlife, soil, water, and air; discusses firefighting organizations and land management agencies; explains current policies; and explores many other topics.
Features:
* 91 color illustrations and 15 maps
* Tips on what to do before, during, and after fires
* An overview of major wildfires in California's history
* A discussion of the effect of climate change on fires in natural landscapes
A book in the Californians and Their Environment subseries, dedicated to understanding human influences on the state's ecology and natural resources ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wildfire in California
Excellent summary about wildfire in California, particulalry how past management and ideas got us where we are today. ... Read more

Product Description
This landmark new book features 93 photos from the historic 1988 Yellowstone fires, dramatic accounts from those on the front lines, and the remarkable story of Yellowstone's rebirth as blackened mountainsides have given way to green stands of lodgepole pine and aspen.

Featuring a detailed timeline of the fires, including 7 maps showing the explosive growth of the blazes, Yellowstone's Rebirth by Fire, dispels myths about fire and discusses its history and legacy in the park.

Visit FarcountryPress.com for more information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Revival of Flowers in Yellowstone
I don't know what the book mentioned this...but there are flowers that you only see after a fire. I had been to Yellowstone several times due to the fact that my mother was raised in Dillon, Montana. I visited my grandparents every summer growing up. I too watched the telecast with fear. My favorite place in the whole world is the lobby at the Lodge at Yellowstone. The lodge was at risk and at the time the fire-fighters didn't know that they could save it. If you have gone thru the Julian, CA fires,it was the same sinking feeling. The fires came right up to the lodge. My room at the lodge is the closest one to Old Faithful. When I grew up in the 50's the bear were still coming up to the cars. Yellowstone was being taken away from me. I was afraid to go there the next year, but there were those flowers that only pop out of the ash. And although there were just the brown stumps of trees, I was by water and was not in a place where the whole forest was devastated. The pictures of the 70's were not of professional stature, but because of that it took me to a time past when I was in my 20's. I bought this book for a blogger friend that was in the midst of blogging about the North Sur fire a few years ago. And Yellowstone did survive travelers, please don't miss it as it is a natural wonderland. This is an excellent book in seeing how topography changes over time. It reminds me of what has happened at Mt. St. Helens...it's survival. It will give you hope that many devastated natural disasters can bring along new landscapes...at least this fire did.

Has it actually been 20 years?
I was eight when the fires engulfed Yellowstone.It was hard to watch on tv, as the place I'd just been to in June of 1988 was up in smoke.This book has allowed me to see the fires from other perspectives than my own and the media's.

I've been to the Park many times since the fires, and it's still amazing to see how it changes each time.Charred husks have evolved into a lush green blanket.And Rebirth By Fire does a wonderful job of showing how the fires weren't the end of Yellowstone, but a new beginning.

Beautiful photographs and writing that flows well, make this book a great addition to any Yellowstone collector's library.

The fiery rebirth of Yellowstone's forests are a true reality.
The mythological phoenix, the fiery bird of rebirth is just that - a myth. But the fiery rebirth of Yellowstone's forests are a true reality. "Yellowstone's Rebirth by Fire: Rising from the Ashes of the 1988 Wildfires" is a study of the comeback of the Yellowstone wilderness after the devastating fires that covered them twenty years ago. Packed with full color photos and illustrations, "Yellowstone's Rebirth by Fire" is a testament to the resolve of mother nature to heal and recover. Enhanced with interviews from those involved in the incident, "Yellowstone's Rebirth by Fire" is highly recommended for personal and community library environmental studies collections.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
A forest fire is any uncontrolled, non-structure fire that occurs in the wilderness. Wildlife behavior is often complex and variably dependent on factors such as fuel type, moisture content in the fuel, humidity, wind speed, topology, geographic location and ambient temperature. Weather patterns, such as heat waves droughts can also have a dramatic impact on the onset and outcome of wildfires. Fire is sometimes essential for forest regeneration, however, it often destroys forests and has dire social and economic consequences. This book looks at the underlying causes of forest fires, their ecological effects and preventive strategies. ... Read more

Product Description
Man's sacrilegious infringements on Nature's delicate balance calls down a forgotten Indian curse and releases a raging mountain lion, a catamount, into the North Woods. This creature is not supposed to be here and is not supposed to prey on humans, but two young children and their dog pick up its trail behind an isolated summer camp not far below the Canadian border. The children do not return and a search and rescue party sets out after them, but the rampages of the malevolent, ghostlike cat hinders their efforts and a violent storm sets off a serious fire in the tinder-dry forest. The children manage to survive their first encounter with the stalking catamount because of the heroism of their dog, Virgil, but the rapidly spreading wildfire drives them through a treacherous bog and other dangers, and some of their would-be rescuers become further victims of the mysterious black apparition. Their distraught parents, Ed and Marty Rollins, are part of the search party, but Marty's recent brief affair with a local fish-and-game officer, Rob Schurman, who is acting as their guide, has set off tensions that must be resolved or set aside in order for their efforts to be effective. The catamount is wounded but this only serves to make it more vicious and unpredictable. Shifting winds threaten to endanger towns in the North Country and drive the children, the search parties, and the angry cat to a final confrontation on the edge of Lake Mackapaque. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Must read
This is a fantastic book.Full of suspense, many interesting characters, and lots of local NH flavor woven into the story. Fast-paced and frightening!I highly recommend it.

Shadow in the north woods
An Indian curse, two lost kids, a silent predator run amok, and a forest fire make this book an adrenaline rush.The Surgeon General would say, "If you are pregnant, or hope to become pregnant, or have back problems or heart problems reading this book could cause serious health risks."Read it, anyway, then wait for the movie.NOT a bedtime read for kids.

A thrilling story told so well it is unputdownable.
It is said that writers should write about what they know and love. Rick Davidson has clearly done this with his thriller set in northern New Hampshire. The opening chapters set the scene, develop characters -both North Country 'characters' and tourists- and evoke the atmosphere of rural New England. Slowly, the threat of the catamount is revealed - and the tension mounts. Once the action really gets going, the pace is relentless and the story takes many twists and turns. But Catamount is not just a thrilling story told so well it is unputdownable. On a deeper level, it questions the relationship between humankind and nature. The back matter says the author is working on a second novel. Can't wait!

A real page-turner
Although the last official mountain lion sighting in New Hampshire was a hundred years ago, every local hunter/fisherman in the North Woods has tales of seeing sinewy forms slipping through the evening shadows at a hunting camp or finding huge feline spoors in some remote creek bed. Author Davidson, a North Country 'local' according to his bio, has crafted a tightly woven thriller about a vacationing family suddenly trapped in nature gone berserk with a cast of supporting chartacters right out of the Granite State, an ancient Indian curse, a raging inferno and a huge cat out of place and time. It's great fun and a real page-turner.

Action-packed thriller that could really happen
There have been a lot of sightings of mountain lions (also known as catamounts in the northeastern United States) in northern New England, particularly in the White Mountains and along the Canadian border. There is prime habitat for this type of carnivore who requires a wide range and plenty of prey. Out West, big cats have attacked livestock and, occassionally, humans. Would the Fish and Game department be prepared to deal with a man-killer during the active tourist season? Davidson's plot presents an action-packed scenario that moves along quickly when such a chain of events is set in motion, including a dramatic forest fire, just to make things more interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service was established by the

state legislature in 1906. During the past century, the New

Jersey Forest Fire Service has evolved from a system of

township firewardens who relied on horses, wagons, shovels, and pine boughs to a team of highly trained and experienced firefighters supported by a modern fleet of vehicles, aircraft, and state-of-the-art technology to assist in the annual battle against wildfires. Each year, New Jersey experiences over 1,600 wildfires that can range in size from less than one acre to more than several thousand acres. Since 1906, forest firewardens and firefighters have battled these wildfires and utilized fire as a public safety tool to protect lives, property, and New Jersey’s natural resources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fire service book that worthily does its job
Though a literature teacher by trade, I love photography and historical photography.More than any other "Images of America" fire service book I have seen [and I have seen a bunch] this one provides BOTH the essence of the service in its people AND a good look at the apparatus and facility of New Jersey's Forest Fire Service.I like it!

Review of NJFFS
since i'm interested in the subject material i found the book very interesting especialy the post wwii pictures ... Read more