Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire

by Ferin Davis Anderson, Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Wildfire is a natural process that takes place in forests and grasslands all over the world. In dry conditions, a single spark can rapidly transform into flames that stretch for miles and sweep across the landscape, burning away everything in their path. Although commonly seen as destructive and deadly, fire is a necessary part of ecosystems; they refresh the land and allow for new plant growth. Environmental scientist Ferin Davis Anderson and author Stephanie Sammartino McPherson examine how Indigenous people, farmers, and forestry departments have used fire to manage resources; why climate change is impacting the frequency and intensity of wildfires; and what the future of fire might look like.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

144 pages, Library Binding

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire by Ferin Davis Anderson with Stephanie Sammartino McPherson is an accessible and edifying read full of historical and recent context on the role of wildfires in North America and across the world, emphasizing the wisdom in land management practices of Indigenous peoples in maintaining various environmental equilibria amid climate change.

Ferin Davis Anderson was a keynote speaker at the recent North American Congress on Conservation and Restoration in Milwaukee, so I was curious to read her book and am glad I did.

I also read it as Wisconsin and about a quarter of the continental United States has been shrouded by the worst wildfire smoke (as measured by Air Quality Index scores of 600+) in our recorded history.

This book would be a great short-course read and/or could fuel a science or social studies classroom curriculum. I found it interesting as an adult member of the public because it revealed a lot of things I did not know and placed some things I was aware of in a clearer context.

For instance, I was aware of the Chicago Fire and Peshtigo Fire, both of 1871, but was unaware how those fires played out in the national public consciousness in informing a policy leaning toward fire suppression later expressed through the U.S. Forest Service, established under President Teddy Roosevelt in the early 20th century, and reenergized with a mission of fire suppression following the "Big Blowup of 1910," of which I was unaware. That same fire in Utah and Montana was part of the story of the firefighting tool named after Ed Pulaski, who, with the Forest Service, fought the 1910 fire: a hoe and ax in one -- the Pulaski.

I was aware of the increasing intensity of wildfires in recent years, but this book places this observation in helpful quantitative context about the nature of changes in wildfires:

"In the 1990s, US wildfires burned an average of 3.3 million acres each year. Although fewer overall fires have occurred in the 2000s, more than 7 million acres have burned annually." (58)

"Globally, scientists predict an increase in extreme fires of up to 14 percent by 2030, 33 percent by 2050, and 52 percent by 2100." (67)

Concerning North American fires and a shifting relationship among people, land, and fire: "According to estimates, 20 to 30 million acres burned annually before Europeans began settling the West. In the twenty-first century, only 4 to 5 million acres burn each year." (78)

The implications of this last stat underscore that it is not the number of fires nor the extent of burned areas that are increasing over the timescale of the past few hundred years, but the intensity of the fires. Policies and practices that suppress fire rather respect and incorporate fire into land management, combined with the hotter and drier conditions as our climate changes, are both implicated in this intensity increase. The increased intensity fires then pose greater societal risks and challenges.

Prescribed burns are discussed and contextualized as both nourishing the land, clearing vegetation debris that can fuel wildfires, and establishing firebreaks that can isolate the spread of fires.

The U.S. Forest Service conducts an average of 4,500 prescribed burns annually, and statistically notes only about 1 per 1,000 burns results in an "escape" -- though one that did in 2022 led to more stringent regulations that Indigenous leaders warn could be harmful long-term (101-103).

The book also paints concise vignettes of people and scenarios in ample sidebar material. In addition to the origin of the Pulaski, for instance, we learn about Eunice Foote, an amateur scientist who in 1856 experimentally demonstrated the heat trapping properties of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere three years before John Tyndall's greenhouse gas paper -- and Bardayal "Lofty" Nadjamerrek, a First Nations Australia rock artist "widely esteemed for helping First Nations families reclaim their homelands through the homelands movement" (37), following wildfires in the 1970s. "In the absence of First Nations caretakers and the small-scale fires they had carefully set, the ecology of the savanna, rainforests, and floodplains in the region [northeastern Australia] had changed drastically" (36).

The book's first chapter discusses fire ecology, and considers fire as a "keystone process" to balancing healthy ecosystems. Many species have adapted to fire in one way or another, and fire is seen as something that can restore balance or rejuvenate forests and grasslands on a periodic basis.

The book's final two chapters consider technology, jobs, and policies associated with the future of fire.

Another thing that is impressive to me is the very recent historical developments. A concluding timeline notes that the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network was established in 2015, a United Nations report distinguishes between "destructive wildfires and landscape fires that may benefit the environment" in 2022, and that the U.N. "acknowledges the importance of Indigenous people's knowledge and insight in confronting the climate crisis" in 2023.

All this and more make this book a lucid and insightful read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

In recent years, the United States has lost more than 7 million acres annually to wildfires, more than twice the annual average of the 1990s. Other countries, such as Canada and Australia, have seen increases in the devastation caused by wildfires. Anderson explores the science of wildfires and the history of policies and attitudes towards wildfires. She examines the connection between climate change and wildfires, and looks at the people and technology available to fight fire. Anderson, an environmental scientist and enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Ojibwe/Anishinaabe/Mitchifs in North Dakota gives a special focus to cultural role of fire in indigenous communities, many of which historically were more accepting of fire as a natural process that keeps ecosystems in balance. The readable text clearly outlines many of the advantages of small fires that clear out overgrown vegetation—making room for new growth, benefiting plant and animal populations, and reducing the fuel for bigger fires that may be difficult to control—while also acknowledging the very real dangers of wildfires to people, property, and the environment. Full color illustrations support the text, and multiple sidebars, maps, and captions provide additional information and encourage browsing. Back pages include a timeline, glossary, sources, and brief bibliography, while an index and table of contents make this an excellent resource for research.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Wildfire from the MIEA Conference in 2024.

Wildfire is informative, but not what I'd consider particularly entertaining. But then, I don't think that's the point. The information is interesting and the language is easy to read and understand. I was expecting more of an Indigenous perspective, primarily because of where I received the book. That would have made me more interested in the topic.

[Randy Hedlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be useful in a science curriculum. I will describe how and why in this review

Wild Fire by Ferin Davis Anderson

According to the Choctaw it was the Grandmother spider who gave fire to humans, vultures lost the feathers on their head, opossums lost their tail. I was aware of the necessity of fire for rejuvenation but reading this book was a god review. Some things I did not think about like the charcoal from fire acting as a water purifier.
Cultural burns have been tied to the abundance of chestnut trees. I am wondering about the degree that fires get rid of invasives and only preserve the natives. It surprised me to find out cultural burns were used in pre colonial South America, Australia and Africa. 500 people died in the Peshtigo fire of Wisconsin, who knew?

Can forest fires play any role in the recovery of northern Minnesota trees desimated by beetles?

Question Guide for Wild fire


Does logging help or hinder forrest fires? Use evidence in the text - (55,56)
How does climate change affect the acreage burned in forest fires from 1990 to 2022?
What are Zombie fires?
How many firefighters died in the Yarnell hill fire? (84)
What changes did McDonough request after that? (86)
What does SEND mean? (87)
What ingredients are used in fire retardents? (92) Why are some opposed to using fire retardants?
Why are fire ecologists and private firefighter companies at odds? (93) Which side do you agree with? Create an argument.
What is a PM 2.5 mean
What needs to be taken into consideration when planning for a controlled burn?
What are four types of firebreaks?
Barley, winter wheat and clovers are low flammability
Aluminium Phosphate - what is the chemical structure? What are the controversies behind using this?

Fire is very powerful and can be destructive, we must understand its benefits and not just suppress it, it is necessary for the natural cycle and it can be necessary. We must fight ignorance and fight fire with fire.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the recent destruction in Los Angeles due to wildfires, reading this recently published nonfiction about them is even more eye opening. I was aware that fires are good for the environment and specific places rely on them in order to create the rebirth of the area. Heck, there are even plants (like the eucalyptus tree that essentially contribute to fires both because of their flammability and the rebirth after the fire.

Anderson covers a little bit of everything and includes plenty of text boxes with additional topics like inventions and discoveries related to fire and firefighting, people, and events. She also spends a lot of time sharing how important fires are in Indigenous culture.

The other piece I found informative was reframing the Smokey Bear "Only you can prevent forest fires" with Reddy Squirrel and "No one can prevent forest fires. Be ready" because there is a difference between the connotation of a wildfire and forest fire when prescribed burns have always been the norm to rework the land. Plus, natural events and increasing greenhouse gas will always spark fires (in addition to human mistakes) therefore preparation is more important than true prevention.

"Varieties of plants known as pyrophytes (from the Greek words pyro for fire and phyte for plant) to have evolved ingenious ways to protect themselves from fire to ensure the survival of their species.... Eucalyptus trees (or gum trees) are a prime example. Native to Australia and common in California, eucalyptus trees produce a highly flammable oil that vaporizes at high temperatures... Quick to catch fire, a eucalyptus tree burns until the surrounding tinder is consumed, and the fire moves on. Most of the trunk is spared, which can then sprout new branches."

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this time of massive wildfires, this book explains the science of fire and the culture of fire – especially indigenous knowledge, the impact climate change is having on fires, and new ways of handling fires, from prescribed burns to building “fire-proof” communities. A great trove of knowledge for anyone interested in wildfires.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book for young readers, but it turned out to be exactly what I’ve been looking for for awhile. Concise overview of fire ecology, wildfire history, and an indigenous perspective on fire management.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good introductory book on wildfire, geared for younger readers but doesn't talk down at all. Great photos as well. Appreciate the discussion about indigenous cultural burning and the impact of climate change. Nice glossary at the end.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked the information, had issues with some of the layout. It's really neat as a unique history of wildfire in all senses and lives up to its name. I'm not 100% which of my patrons would be interested in it, but I'm positive that some of them will be. Solid 4 stars.

[Danielle Grise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book illustrates another in a long line of examples where humans think they know better than nature. I learned a lot in this book about how necessary fire is to healthy ecosystems. (It certainly has come in handy recently in conversations about current wildfires). This takes a look at how various groups have managed these fires, and what the future of fighting greater fires (due to climate change and mismanagement) looks like. including working with indigenous peoples to go back to some traditional ways of caring for nature. I think that this is an important book.