Book
Firestorm : how wildfire will shape our future / Edward Struzik.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781610918183
- ISBN: 1610918185
- Physical Description: 257 p. : ill. ; 24 cm
- Publisher: Washington : Island Press, [2017]
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (p. 249-257). |
| Formatted Contents Note: | The beast awakens -- Insided the mind of a wildfire -- A history of fire suppression -- Visions of the pyrocene -- Water on fire -- The big smoke -- Drought, disease, insects, and wildfire -- Fire on ice -- Agent of change -- Resilience and recovery. |
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Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Selkirk College.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Circulation Modifier | Holdable? | Status | Due Date | Courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castlegar Campus Library | SD 421.34 N67 S77 2017 (Text)
Copy: c. 1
|
B001623510 | General | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Book News : Book News Reviews
In this timely work, Struzik (author of a number of books on the natural world and human activity), tackles the threat of wildfire. The book opens with a retelling of the 2016 fire, nicknamed âThe Beast,â that destroyed the Canadian town of Fort McMurray. Struzik uses this fire as a jumping off point to investigate the history of forest fire, from the Native population's manipulation of fire to modern scientists' ever changing ideas as to how to deal with forest fires. Struzik looks at the unintended consequences of fire suppression, and takes the reader on a tour of a landscape that has been ravaged by fire. The text looks at the consequences of fire on the plant populations, as well as animal and insect communities. The reader meets scientists on the forefront of wildfire research who are looking for ways that fire can be an asset to biodiversity if better understood and managed. Historical and modern photographs are included. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com) - Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2017 September #1
Massive wildfires with enormous destructive capability no longer seem to be the exception to the rule as, year by year, new conflagrations consume vast swaths of the North American landscape. These megafires, which, by definition, burn at least 100,000 acres, are not unusual occurrences across the northern United States and Canada, but they are becoming increasingly common in California, the Pacific Northwest, and even in parts of the Deep South and maritime Canada. As industries move into boreal forests, and as climate change creates hotter and dryer conditions and tips delicate ecological balances into the danger zone, the damaging impact of the increased number and velocity of wildfires presents scientists, politicians, citizens, and, of course, intrepid firefighters with more daunting challenges. From how a wildfire develops to ways in which communities cope with its destructive aftermath, the scope of a wildfire's environmental impact is boundless. Combining personal insights with keen investigative-journalistic skills, Struzik (Future Arctic, 2015) presents a comprehensive and compelling overview of the future of wildfire management. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews. - Choice Reviews : Choice Reviews 2020 January
Forest fires have become more common and more extensive. In 2018, across the United States, 8,000 and more fires burned over 1.8 million acres with a loss of 88 lives and immeasurable mental anguish. The recent Amazon fires have drawn international attention to the magnitude and devastating short- and long-term impacts of wildfire. In Firestorm, Struzik (a fellow at Queen's Univ., Kingston) chronicles many historic fires in the United States and Canada, examining their magnitude and impact. He argues that while such fires tax our resources in the course of controlling them, they also tax the physical resources themselves through long-term negative impacts affecting soil erosion, wood resources, environmental quality, wildlife habitats, social value of forest environments, and public roads. As well, they challenge existing policies on how to deal with fires. Climate change is expected to increase the potential for fire outbreaks, and Struzik asks how the changing climate will define our attitude toward fire storms and how we will adapt to the increasing incidences of wildfire. Struzik's compelling message is that we must learn from previous fires to develop policies that make us better stewards of our natural and economic resources. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.
--J. L. Hatfield, USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Jerry Lee Hatfield
USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Jerry Lee Hatfield Choice Reviews 57:05 January 2020 Copyright 2019 American Library Association. - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2017 October #1
Opening with a vivid recounting of 2016's Fort McMurray Fire, which caused the biggest fire evacuation in Canada's history, Struzik (Future Arctic) explains how climate change and fire suppression in North America has brought about the current era of still evolving super fires. Capable of producing their own weather patterns, these once rare blazes are now becoming commonplace. As in Michael Kodas's Megafire, Struzik examines individual fires to show how, in addition to drought, insects and disease help to create perfect conditions for flames. He also explains new challenges to firefighting, such as dealing with asbestos-covered trees or Superfund areas, and that firefighting veterans often battle unburnable substances while putting their health at risk. With longer seasons and more people moving to the woods, the scale of future fires promises to overthrow McMurray's record soon.
Copyright 2017 Library Journal.VERDICT As greater and more destructive fires become the norm, this narrative should be required reading for anyone living in an area under the threat of fire as well as those looking to understand its evolution.âVenessa Hughes, Buffalo, NY
