When forests burn: The story of wildfire in America by Albert Marrin

 This timely and fascinating book is an essential purchase for all libraries that serve a middle grade audience.

Marrin starts the story of wildfires in America, especially North America, with a general history and scientific explanation of fire and its role in pre-historic America. He moves into how indigenous peoples were using fire when early colonists arrived and began to take over the land. Weaving the story of forests and settlers together, Marrin shows how fire played a part in the colonization of America, explores the attitudes of Westerners towards natural resources, and how this gradually began to change the landscape, along with the devastation of diseases they brought and their profligate use of fire to clear land for settlement. This segues into the story of the lumbering industry which led to major firestorms, not only familiar ones like the Great Chicago Fire, but lesser-known catastrophes like the firestorm in Peshtigo, WI, at the same time period. Somewhere around 2,000 people perished in the Peshtigo fire, but few lessons were learned as similar fires in lumber towns occurred shortly afterwards. Marrin recounts the horror and massive destruction of these fires as well as explaining the economic and philosophical reasons behind the lumbering industry's practices. He continues to recount the destruction through the building of the railroads, extinction of the Passenger Pigeon and near-extinction of the bison, and the westward spread of settlement, lumbering, and industry.

A turning point occurred with the advent of John Muir, George Perkins Marsh, and Gifford Pinchot who, along with Theodore Roosevelt, were the start of the conservation movement. Marrin does not treat these men as faultless heroes. He gives a nuanced portrait of their role in early conservation, including their different views of government, the corruption of trusts and wealthy businesses they fought against, and the exclusion of women, African-Americans, and other minorities from their view of life. He also gives a clear picture of the effects on Native Americans, whose lands were confiscated and who were not only remove, but often suffered from outright genocide as these men sought to "preserve" their native lands and resources for white people alone. Notably, Marrin is the only author I've seen, writing about this period, who also notes the exclusion of disabled people and those not in perfect health, in the original recruitment of rangers. The nascent Forest Service faced a major battle in a massive fire in 1910, the Big Blowup. This was the largest fire in American history and the aftermath shaped how government, and the people, viewed the Forest Service and the approach to wildfires for decades to come.

The last section of the book deals with the current state of wildfires and is, appropriately, titled "Bigger, Hotter, Faster." It covers the effect of climate change, the results of years of wildfire prevention methods, and current methods and equipment used in modern wildfire fighting. Marrin explores the California wildfires and the ever-expanding wildfires of 2020, using the same approach of covering a complex subject in clear, relatable language, looking at the events from multiple viewpoints and bringing in economic, political, and historical concerns. In the end, there are certainly no easy answers, but being aware of the history and facts is the first step towards solving an ever-growing problem. Marrin looks at different approaches, from controlled burning to revisiting Indigenous techniques for sustaining the land and preventing megafires, from modern technology to practical advice in the face of potential fires.

Extensive back matter, notes, sources, and an index are included.

Verdict: Although this book is packed with information, touching on history, economics, science, and more, it's a compelling read even for those who might normally balk at longer nonfiction. It's full of human stories and the always popular theme of natural disasters, as well as many opportunities for readers to consider their own history and future. Although I am located in Southern WI, this will be of interest to my teachers and students looking for the history of the lumber industry and Peshtigo, and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 9780593121733; Published March 2024 by Alfred A. Knopf; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library