Advertisement

'This is Wildfire' book explores our relationship with wildfire

10:47
Download Audio
Resume
The cover of "This is Wildfire." (Courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing)
The cover of "This is Wildfire." (Courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing)

Wildfires seem to be a new norm in this age of experiencing extreme heat and tangible effects of climate change. Recently, blazes swept through Maui and parts of Canada, leaving mass destruction in their paths.

"This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat" explores the relationship between wildfire, humans and nature. And, authors Nick Mott and University of Montana professor Justin Angle offer tips on how to prevent fires and stay safe if they do ignite.

They saw the U.S. has a complicated history with fire policy, recently adopting a fire suppression policy above all else that backtracks the country’s history with prescribed burns to control forest areas.

“What studies have shown is that indigenous people over millennia have had a deep and intimate relationship with fire,” Mott says, “that forests were managed before settlers colonized the country for thousands of years.”

4 tips from Nick Mott and Justin Angle for preventing wildfires

  1. Keep your gutters clean and roof free of debris
  2. Do not store flammable materials under a deck or up against your house
  3. Talk to your neighbors about fire safety and help secure their homes if possible
  4. Keep tabs on city, town or council policy around wildfires

Book excerpt: 'This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat'

By Nick Mott and Justin Angle

Excerpted from "This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat" by Nick Mott and Justin Angle. Copyright © 2023. Available from Bloomsbury Publishing.


Thomas Danielian produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Gabe Bullard. Grace Griffin adapted it for the web.

This segment aired on August 28, 2023.

Headshot of Scott Tong

Scott Tong Co-Host, Here & Now
Scott Tong joined Here & Now as a co-host in July 2021 after spending 16 years at Marketplace as Shanghai bureau chief and senior correspondent.

More…

Headshot of Thomas Danielian

Thomas Danielian Associate Producer, Here & Now
Thomas Danielian is an associate producer for Here & Now.

More…

Advertisement

More from Here & Now

Listen Live
Close