Welcome to Litsy!

Good, worrisome book.

I may be busy in the next few days

Non-fiction narratives are easier to understand with the context given for real life events. This book is written in three parts, the first being origin stories about how the community grew to its size/wealth due to what lay beneath the ground. The second section is the recount of the 2016 fire, and the third section covers science that makes sense after reading the Fire Weather and contextualizes other climate issues due to the warming of Earth.

It was a surreal experience listening to this audiobook based on the true story of a massive fire that destroyed the Maine coast in October 1947 while at the same time listening to the sounds of the fire-fighting planes dipping into the reservoir to battle a fire that was raging just over the foothills from my own home. Lucky for me my home was spared, but in October 1947 entire towns were destroyed. This book was haunting and so well-written.

This gripping book recounts the devastating 2016 fire that ravaged Fort McMurray, a remote town in the boreal forests of Alberta, Canada, that owes its existence to petroleum. As global temperatures rise and fire behaves in ways humanity has never previously encountered--devouring entire houses in mere minutes, forming tornadoes of fire--the true cost of fossil fuel consumption rises higher and higher. A timely and terrifying call to action.

Slow to post of late, but really enjoyed this, as I have most Pulitzer winners. Lots of science and history here, but Vaillant managed to weave it with several boots-on-the-ground stories of people affected by the largest wildfire to date in Fort McMurray, Canada. He tries not to end on a doom and gloom note, but I‘d still say this isn‘t exactly a light “summer read”.

An excellent book describing the science, history and politics surrounding forest fires. Vaillant gives a gripping account of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada, and explains how climate change has led to an increase of such fires.

I highly recommend the audiobook version.

#AwesomeApril @Andrew65

Wombat likes everything just so - something her neighbors aren't as great at. But Wombat minds her own business. But when difficulties arise in the neighborhood, Wombat puts on her digging overalls and her gardening hat and does her best to help everyone out.
As if anyone needed another reason to love wombats, this is inspired by stories of wombats sharing their burrows (however reluctantly) with other critters during bushfires.

I had to bail about 35% in. It was just too stressful it‘s like reading a documentary about a recent catastrophic fire in an area not too far from my home. It‘s well-written and interesting, just too overwhelming for me to keep going.

Excellent, page turning description of the development, physics, chemistry, weather, evacuation and defending the city from the Canadian fire in 2016. The explanation of how hot the fire was, how it moved, and the citizens‘ reactions was so good. For me, the last 1/4 of the book lost a little momentum, but that could be because the first 3/4 was so good.