"Wildfires have been part of the American landscape for thousands of years. Forests need fire--it's as necessary to their well-being as soil and sunlight. But some fires burn out of control, destroying everything and everyone in their path. In this book, you'll find out about how and why wildfires happen, how different groups . . . have managed forests and fire, the biggest wildfires in American history--how they began and . . . stories of both rescue and tragedy . . . teaches us about the past--and shows a better way forward in the future"--Publisher.

"This is a Borzoi Book"--Title page verso.

Ice, fire, and forest. Ice ; Fire ; Out of Beringia ; Forests ; Wildfire -- Once upon a time in America. When different worlds met ; The legions of death ; Experiencing the great forest ; Beliefs ; Making land ; The woods aflame -- Harvesting the Northwoods. A wooden nation ; Timber barons ; Lumberjacks -- Peshtigo: The night hell yawned. Fires remembered and forgotten ; A speck in the Northwoods ; The fires of autumn ; Firestorm ; Reckonings -- The Hinckley Horror of 1894. Dark legacy ; The Great Minnesota Fire -- America's war on wildlife. War on wildlife: bison ; The end of the passenger pigeon -- Changing minds. George Perkins Marsh ; John Muir ; Gifford and Theodore -- The worst forest fire ever: The big blowup of 1910. The forest ranger ; Battling wildfire ; Fire, fire, everywhere ; Aftershocks -- Bigger, hotter, faster. Fighting wildfire today ; Climate change ; The Golden State burning ; Fires of 2020 ; Hard choices.