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Fire in the Forest

Fire in the Forest looks at fire as a process within ecosystems, an agent of change on the landscape, and a force to be controlled, managed, and planned for in an increasingly fire prone wildland–urban interface. The authors of Fire in the Forest hail from Canada and the United Kingdom, and look at fire from a global perspective, citing studies and examples from North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. This book would be an excellent textbook for students in a forestry, fire science, or fire ecology program. Where published work of others is used, the author(s) and date of the publications are given so the sources can be found in the literature cited at the end of the book. Chapter 2 provides a historical review that explains how fire history is put together from clues in charcoal and soot in rocks. Human influence on landscapes through the use of fire and our current attitudes toward fire are also discussed. In Chapter 4, the section on lightning provides a thorough discussion of its physical properties and its effects on wildfire. Lightning is a major cause of fire in western North America and knowledge of its impacts is important for fire managers. Chapter 6 discusses the role of prescribed burning in the wildland–urban interface. This chapter describes the ecological necessity of fire, as well as the risks as a management tool in urban areas. Figure 6.4 is an excellent and easy tool for readers to understand how to protect their home and other structures within the fire environment by managing the landscape around them. Chapter 7, Fire Suppression, begins by taking the reader back to the pre-suppression era describing the natural role of fire. As the chapter continues the authors describe the basics of fire: weather, fuels, topography, and values at risk. This basic information is used worldwide by fire mangers to make critical decisions. While the authors prefer to reference the Canadian Fire Service there is a common understanding of the process used in fire suppression. The chapter includes color photos and graphic illustrations to lead the reader through a 4-step process from the basics of fire, detection systems, dispatch procedures, resources needed for fire suppression, and suppression failures. The 4-step process is easily understood by layman and could be used in training for new firefighters. Chapter 8 gives the reader a look toward the future of wildland fire and its management. The chapter begins by discussing major technological, social, economic, and environmental trends and how those trends are influencing wildland fire and its management. There is a very good example of using prescribed fire in Banff National Park that describes the importance of prescribed fire and its ecological role in the forest. The book ends with an idealized image of wildland fire management in the year 2040. This scenario shows widespread public acceptance and support for using fire to meet resource management objectives. While providing a well-rounded overview of fire, the book can sometimes be difficult to follow as examples from all over the globe are found right next to each other. This can interrupt the flow, as discussions can go from a jackpine forest in Michigan to a eucalypt forest in Australia to a rain forest in Malaysia all in one paragraph. However, for a comprehensive look at human response and interactions with fire, this book provides a well-rounded account of its place in our world.