Noman Maclean, best known for his "A River Runs Through It" also wrote a lesser known great book, "Fire on the Mountain: The True Story of the South Canyon Fire". Up until yesterday, the 1949 South Canyon Fire was the most deadly fire on record for forest fire fighters. It is an excellent accounting, by Maclean who spent his time as a forest worker in Montana, and became one of America's best writers. Get either of these books, they are page turners, one a novel, the other a detective story and safety manual for people in the wilderness and fire fighters. I loved both these books, Maclean had a lot of trouble getting published, as one letter of rejection stated, "this book has trees in it, no one wants to read about trees".
Increasing heat and drought and disease of forest plants guarantees more terrible deaths await us in the forest. Hopefully lessons will be learned that can keep firemen safe.
As long as we have science deniers like Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Ok) in office - nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteRon
Ron, we will soon be rid of many of these old guys, they are term limited by mother nature if not by law. I will take my chance with the next one in line, chances are if all were replaced at least a few would be less hostile to science and change, the odds are with us on that, if only slightly.
DeleteHave you read "Under a Flaming Sky" about the Hinckley, Minnesota, fire of (IIRC) 1896? It'll leave you wanting to live on a treeless island in the middle of a very large lake.
ReplyDeleteIf I can find it I will give it a read. Thanks nan. But I doubt it will make me move away from my trees.
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