THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Are the American West’s Wildfires Inevitable?
KIRKUS REVIEW
How we have mismanaged fire over the last century—and the costs we’re paying.
(Starred review)
BOOKLIST
“Grounding his investigation in personal stories, Kodas turns this exploration of the “fire-industrial complex” into a surprising page-turner. Always respectful of the lives lost fighting fire, the author never loses sight of the bigger picture: the fires aren’t going away, and current approaches to addressing that fact are based on antiquated ideas. This is a must-read for all as forest fires spread across the country.”
THE NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
“An excellent, if terrifying, must read . . .
Desperate peoples’ escapes, fighting fires in darkest smoke, severe injuries, homelessness, accidents, human tragedies, and the aftermath of destruction are all chronicled expertly and with pathos. There is nothing gratuitous about the author’s reporting; everything serves a purpose, every story another nail in the construction of the exposé.”