United States Wildfire Books
Recommended to learn about Wildfire.
An Historian’s perspective of the United States’ tragic 1910 fires that lead to modern US Wildfire Policies.
Professor Stephen Pyne telling the story of the United States 1910 Wildfires that still affect today.
Professional photographer sharing his amazing collection of wildfire images among essays from more than 25 leading thinkers in the field of fire ecology provide in-depth analyses, critiques, and compelling solutions for how we live with fire in our society. Using examples such as the epic Yellowstone fires of 1988, the ever-present southern California fires, and the Northwest’s Biscuit Fire of 2002, the book examines the ecology of these landscapes and the policies and practices that affected them and continue to affect them, such as fire suppression, prescribed burns, salvage logging, and land-use planning. Overall, the book aims to promote the restoration of fire to the landscape and to encourage its natural behavior so it can resume its role as a major ecological process.
This is the story of Civilian Public Service smokejumpers, who battled against dangerous winds, searing heat, and devastating fires from 1943 until 1945. Fewer than 300 World War II conscientious objectors served their country in this fashion, operating out of CPS bases in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon. But that small band of men helped to keep alive Forest Service operations in the Pacific Northwest and thus sustained a program to fight potentially crippling fires. When the war ended, CPS smokejumpers, like millions of World War II combat soldiers, were “ushered out” of wartime service. Some, like many returning GIs, encountered difficulties in adjusting to civilian life. Nevertheless, the one-time smokejumpers often went on to make other remarkable contributions to their communities, their nation, and the world.
This novel tells the story of Operation Firefly an amazing true story of when during World War II the US Army assigned the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the US Army’s first all-black test platoon to assist smokejumpers dealing with fire’s lit by Japanese attacks on the US West Coast.
Starr Jenkins former smokejumper tells of he and his brother’s experiences jumping over the 1948-1949 Fire Seasons.
Young Men and Fire is one of the classic US wildfire books I read long ago when I was a USFS Los Padres Hotshot wanting to understand smokejumping and the tragic Mann Gulch Fire of 1949 that claimed the lives of a large number of smokejumpers. This is a must read for those interested in learning about US Wildfires.
Fire On The Mountain is a study of the South Canyon Fire of 1994. This is another US wildfire classic key to understanding US wildfire management and I have personal connections to this event in being friends with many of the Hotshot Firefighters killed in this event, and being part of the first USFS smokejumper support booster in 1995 after this fire deployed to Grand Junction Colorado to assist the local BLM firefighting resources.
The Thirtymile Fire was a tragedy wildfire for the USFS and in its wake it had far reaching Federal wildfire management policy implications. This book is worthy of reading to understand better USFS fire policy.
The Esperanza Fire in 2006 claimed the lives of five USFS firefighters assigned to a wildland firefighting engine in California and John Maclean unpacks its story in this book, also a must read.
1953 the Rattlesnake Fire is another mass casualty wildfire in California that claimed the lives of fifteen firefighters and John Maclean retells its story in River Of Fire. This book is an important study in wildfire firefighter safety.
Stan Cohen’s classic Pictorial History of Smokejumping is great book to learn about the early history of smokejumping, and how it came to be in the United States.
Wildfire! is a wonderful children’s book written to explain US wildfires and is perfect for young readers interested in nature.
There has been a number of books written about smokejumping however the classic will always be Jumping Fire. This is a fiction work that is highly recommended to learn about what it is like to be a smokejumper.
Oral traditions and story telling around camp fires are an important element of being a smokejumper and there is no better book to read about some of this part of smokejumper culture than with Just a Few Jumper Stories.
Jason Ramos’ thrilling inside look at the world of smokejumpers, the airborne firefighters who fight nature’s blazes in the most remote and rugged areas of the U.S. Discover how he got his start in this highly specialized field, the remarkable history of smokejumping, and the erratic, terrifying power of wildfires in this critically-acclaimed book from William Morrow/ Harper Collins.
Bob Hubble of the Missoula Smokejumpers, our British Smokejumper, telling his story of smokejumping.
Learn about Smokejumping as a career from an outside point of view.
Romance adventure novel from the perspective of fighting wildfires as an airtanker pilot.
Beautifully illustrated children’s book telling the story of an owl that uses a helicopter to escape its burning home. Highly recommended.
Learn more about the history of Fire Bombers in Action with this rare look into this small industry with this unique videobook.
Over 400 pictures of Aerial Firefighting from its many various perspectives in this beautifully made picture book packed full of details.