Flames in Our Forest: Disaster or Renewal?

by Stephen F. Arno and Stephen Allison-Bunnell

Book Overview

Shaped by fire for thousands of years, the forests of the western United States are as adapted to periodic fires as they are to the region's soils and climate. Our widespread practice of ignoring the vital role of fire is costly in both ecological and economic terms, with consequences including the decline of important fire-dependent tree and undergrowth species, increasing density and stagnation of forests, epidemics of insects and diseases, and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559638834
• ISBN13: 9781559638838
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Island Press
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Why We Need a Policy Shift in Wildland Fire Fighting

During this past summer, at least 12 firefighters have died tragically while fighting fires in California forests. Most, if not all, of these deaths occurred while battling fires that were natural occurring, lightning sparked fires in wilderness areas that were miles away from any buildings, towns or property of value. Since fire exclusion became policy in our forests, the amount of fuel has increased steadily to the point where of forests, particularly in wilderness areas, are tinder boxes ready to explode. Some of that happened this summer, but there are many millions of acres in the West in a similar position. In addition to risking lives, we are spending millions and millions of dollars to protect something that really does not need protection. This book offers a reasonable alternative to continued fire suppression in wildland areas and offers solutions that are workable and will return forests to their natural states. It is well written, heavily footnoted and presented in a style that allows readers with a minimum amount of knowledge of the science to be able to understand the information. Highly recommended!

Best summary of the current fire environment in North America today

Steve Arno is one of America's premier fire scientists. A solid professional with a knack for writing about technical things in layman's terms, Arno's book is 180 pages of succinct, highly readable, very accurate writing about this critical issue. What is happening with fire in America today? Why does it matter? What do we know? What have we learned? What can we do about it? If you don't read another book about fire, this is the one. Arno's followup, Mimicking Nature's Fire, is an outstanding primer on prescribed fire. I can't wait for Steve's next effort. This is the kind of science that anyone can understand and his conclusions that fire is both necessary and out of balance are compelling, as are his recommendations for where we go from here. To continue to suffer fires like the recent Tahoe disaster, human-caused in every way, with a book like this already showing us the way to more responsible living in the fire environment is just criminal malpractice on the part of citizens and angencies who continue to ignore the truths that Arno so clearly sees. Read this book and then buy a copy for your Senator.