This Is Wildfire - by Nick Mott & Justin Angle (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Finalist for the Western Writers of the West Spur Award

A practical guide for living with wildfire, including essential history and science, actions you can take to protect your home, and guiding principles for life in an increasingly fiery future.

Wildfires are getting more destructive than ever before. Flames in forests are scorching about twice as many trees as they did two decades ago, and nearly 100,000 homes, barns, and other structures have been incinerated. "Fire seasons" are now fire years. Tens of millions of people live in areas vulnerable to fire, and more keep moving in. Driven in part by climate change, the areas burned and prevalence of smoke in the skies is expected to skyrocket in the decades to come.

At the same time that wildfires leave swathes of the country in ash, they also renew. Wildfire is crucial for ecosystems to function and flourish. We're putting out many of the fires our landscape needs, and the ones that escape our control are devastating for forests and communities. It's clear what we're doing isn't working. Wildfire is inevitable, and we need to learn to live with it.

The first of its kind, This Is Wildfire is required reading for our new reality. It offers everything you need to know about fire in one useful volume: reflects on the history of humanity's connection to flames; analyzes how our society arrived at this perilous moment; and recounts stories of those fighting fire and trying to change our relationship with it. It also offers practical advice: choosing your insurance and making your home resilient to burns; packing an emergency go-bag; rebuilding after a fire; and so much more.

Review Quotes

"Engaging ... those looking for practical tips on reducing wildfire risk to their homes and communities will find much here ... Though practical in its takeaways, This Is Wildfire is also highly personable. The authors show compassion for people grappling with the pain and loss of fire damage ... In an era of increasingly dangerous, more mercurial wildfires, Mott and Angle never sugarcoat the realities of climate change. Instead, they keep their focus squarely on adapting to it." --Yale Climate Connections

"A timely and engaging resource for dealing with the wildfires that are becoming more frequent as a consequence of the climate crisis." --Booklist

"This book is a smart and timely resource - be sure to include it your Go Bag." --EcoLit Books

"As wildfires become more catastrophic, Mott and Angle offer practical tips that will help readers, especially those in vulnerable areas, become safer and more prepared. They also argue that understanding the difference between fires that simply wreak havoc and those that may be necessary for plant growth is essential for societies in an increasingly hotter world." --Alta Journal

"How can you be sure that you, your family, and your home are safe from fire? This is Wildfire is a great way to begin, with solid ideas you can implement now and explanations for things you may not quite understand ... No matter where you live - country or city, dry area or one that's green - this book is a great, and almost absolutely mandatory, reference source." --The Bookworm Sez

"The book should be in every home in fire country-an essential reference." --John N. Maclean, author of FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

"Finally-a book about wildfire that not only offers practical, compassionate advice on protecting one's home, family, and community but provides the background we all need to influence forest and fire policy for the better. This Is Wildfire is an eminently readable guide to good citizenship in our hotter, smokier, riskier times." --Michelle Nijhuis, author of BELOVED BEASTS

"Everyone should read this book. When we understand fire, we can better understand our planet and how best to nurture it." --Scott Jurek, New York Times bestselling author of NORTH and EAT AND RUN

"An imperative book to help us all understand how fire has been historically and how it is expected to be in the future." --Beth Rodden, professional climber

About the Author

Nick Mott is a journalist and podcast producer. His podcast work has received a Peabody and two National Edward R. Murrow Awards. His print and audio reporting has been published in the Atlantic, NPR, High Country News, and the Washington Post, among many other outlets. Justin Angle is a professor and the Poe Family Distinguished Faculty Fellow at the University of Montana College of Business. His work has been published in Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, and the Washington Post.
Together, Justin and Nick created Fireline, a national Edward R. Murrow Award-winning podcast about wildfire in the west. They live in Montana.