Advocacy for Indigenous fire-management practices, a thorough account of wildfire science, information on firefighting-and a blazing black-and-orange color scheme-make this book a hot ticket.Anderson, a scientist and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and prolific nonfiction author McPherson provide a balanced, well-written analysis of conflagrations. Paradoxically, fire causes damage but also has benefits, even as human land use competes with essential ecosystem regeneration. The authors contrast the natural role of wildfire in maintaining healthy ecosystems with horrific blazes that are worsened by mismanagement and climate change. Case studies highlight First Nations communities and individuals from around the world and show how scientists are increasingly considering Indigenous practices, sparking change. Scientists have come to accept what "for millennia, Indigenous peoples across the globe have understood," that "by burning layers of dead vegetation that could otherwise become fuel, carefully tended fires lessened the chance of a disastrous wildfire." These practices are also about "livelihood, traditions, beliefs, values, and spirituality." The authors explain what fire is and describe fire suppression and prescribed burns in the U.S., conveying a lot of science in a palatable form. Climate change is at the heart of the story-and of this book. The text defines terms in context, contains helpful text boxes with additional information, and is supported by color photos.Skillfully introduces the complex story of wildfires, Indigenous knowledge, and climate change. (timeline, glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, further information, index, photo acknowledgments) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

Gr 7 Up— In this short informational text, the authors—an environmental scientist and a former teacher, respectively—pack a great deal of information on the science behind wildfires, current practices in fire prevention and management, and the traditions of Indigenous people surrounding the burning of wildernesses. An introduction detailing the recent wildfire that devastated Paradise, CA, offers a human face to the issues of fire ecology. The main narrative is interspersed with featured sections that offer more information on key concepts or historic events. The numerous photographs and graphs are mostly presented as full-page or almost full-page spreads, offering dramatic visual details to expand on the messages conveyed in the text. Chapter titles include "What Is Fire?," "Land Needs Fire: Indigenous Fire Practices," and "Fire Heroes: Confronting the Blaze." A time line of fire from 3000 BCE to modern day is included, along with a glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, and a thorough index. VERDICT With the prominence of wildfires in the news and the popularity of television shows like Fire Country , wildfires and fire ecology are bound to be a subject of interest to many young readers. This book is recommended to satisfy the curiosity of middle school and junior high readers.— Kelly Kingrey-Edwards