World Fire: The Culture of Fire on Earth

Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books

by Stephen J. Pyne

World Fire is the story of how fire and humans have coevolved. The two are inseperable, and together they have repeatedly remade the planet.

Genres: Ecology, History, Nonfiction

408 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1995

Reviews

[Rob Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder about fire? This book covers it. I mean covers the history of fire on six continents from the beginning of time until 1980's. Really. If you love fire, you'll love this book. Even if you dont love fire, you'll never be able to watch houses in So Cal go up in smoke in quite the same way ;-)

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 2 out of 5]

World Fire was written as a prelude or prequel to Pyne's other Fire books, which were written 10-20 years prior. As such, World Fire didn't look forward to great explorations so much as it looked back on what was done (and done better). The editor's note at the beginning of World Fire is well written and engaging. I wish I could say that about the rest of the book. The writing is okay, the science is okay, but the book as a whole isn't engaging, entertaining and only mildly informative/educational.

[Susan Subak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does a great job of explaining different regions' approaches to fire management and
forestry and how that has shaped current landscapes and fire practices. The book also provides
valuable background for understanding long-term carbon storage changes in different parts of the world.