Flames consume a forest, and an owl seeks refuge. Helicopter wings chop, and water drops to drench the branches below. Using spare, lyrical language, this debut picture book takes readers inside the journey of a screech owl that fled the flames to ride along with a firefighting helicopter during the 2020 California Creek wildfire. Vivid imagery highlights the fear and danger of the experience–as well as an astonishing moment of connection. 5-8 years
Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires
By Jessica Stremer, Illustrated by Michael Garland
Goats and beavers. Drones and parachutes. Pinecones and beetles. What do they have in common? Believe it or not, they are all crucial tools in fighting, preventing, and adapting to wildfires!
These vicious fires are spreading faster and burning hotter than at any other time in history. Ongoing droughts, warming weather, and a history of poor forest management have extended the traditional wildfire season beyond the summer months. It is a matter of life and death for wildlife worldwide.
This nonfiction book focuses on unique angles to a hot topic, including injury rehabilitation efforts, species that use wildfires to their advantage, how to help area repopulation, and the animals that help to prevent and fight wildfires. A riveting, kid friendly text is accompanied by stunning woodcut illustrations and full-color photographs, as well as extensive back matter with glossary, sources, and index. 8-12 years
When Forests Burn: The Story of Wildfire in America
By Albert Marrin
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, from Native Americans to colonists, from conservationists to modern industrialists, have managed forests and fire
the biggest wildfires in American history–how they began and dramatic stories of both rescue and tragedy
what we’re doing today to fight forest fires
Chock full of dramatic stories, fascinating facts, and compelling photos, When Forests Burn teaches us about the past–and shows a better way forward in the future. 10-14 years
Fire in Their Eyes: Wildfires and the People Who Fight Them
By Karen Magnuson Beil
What drives some people to stand in the path of a wall of flame? Who are these brave, foolhardy, visionary firefighters? This intimate look at the elite groups that fight wildfires explores the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of these courageous few as they battle wilderness blazes from Alaska to Maine. From the grueling training of a smokejumper class in Montana, through harrowing fights with some up-close-and-personal wildfires, to a group of inspired conservationists who use fire as a tool for preservation, Karen Magnuson Beil takes readers where only a few have ventured–into the heart of one of nature’s most destructive andunpredictable forces: fire. 10-12 years
I Survived the California Wild Fires
by Lauren Tarshis
The people of Northern California were used to living with the threat of wildfires. But nothing could have prepared them for the devastating 2018 fire season, the deadliest in 100 years and the most destructive in history. In the 20th I Survived book, readers join eleven-year-old Josh as he leaves his New Jersey home for the rural northern California town where his cousins live. Still reeling from the life-changing challenges that propelled him and his mother across the country, Josh struggles to adapt to a more rustic, down-to-earth lifestyle that couldn’t be more different from the one he is used to. Josh and his cousin bond over tacos and reptiles and jokes, but on a trip into the nearby forest, they suddenly find themselves in the path of a fast-moving firestorm, a super-heated monster that will soon lay waste to millions of acres of wilderness and — possibly — their town. Josh needs to confront the family issues burning him up inside, but first he’ll have to survive the flames blazing all around him. 8-11 years
Wildfires: National Geographic Readers
by Kathy Furgang
Learn all about wildfires—how they happen, why they’re important, and when they’re dangerous—in this fascinating level 3 reader. It’s sure to ignite your interest, with color photographs, interesting facts, and more. 6-8 years
Extreme Wildfire: Smoke Jumpers, High-Tech Gear, Survival Tactics, and the Extraordinary Science of Fire
By Mark Thiessen
In one moment, there’s a simple spark, and then roaring flames surge 200 feet into the air, devouring forests. Trees, from root to canopy, are burned to the ground. Airtankers and helicopters hover above, executing an air attack. Brave firefighters, equipped with flame resistant suits, leap from helicopters onto the treetops and descend to the blazing forest floor. In this book, young readers will learn about the ecological impacts of wildfires, the ins and outs of fire science including tactics for prevention and containment, cutting-edge technology used to track wildfires and predict fire behavior, and about the impressive skill, survival tactics, and bravery required to control a wildfire. Also included are expert tips, fun facts, and breathtaking photos taken by the author. 8-12 years
Escape From the Wildfire
By Dorothy Bentley
Escape from the Wildfire offers a fictional account based on the real-life facts of the disastrous wildfire of 2021 that destroyed the town of Lytton, British Columbia after days of scorching heat. Dorothy Bentley’s own experiences of living through a wildfire led her to research the experience of Lytton residents so she could write the story of a resilient teen surviving an environmental catastrophe.
The summer of 2021 is hot even for B.C.’s arid interior under a record-breaking heat dome. Fourteen-year-old Jack hangs out with his friends Scott, Tess, and Indigenous teen Rory. On June 30, a wildfire inferno descends with horrifying suddenness. Jack must flee for his life, evacuated to a nearby town. Jack and his friends are aware of the context and possible causes of the wildfire He must come to terms with the loss of his entire village, the idea of starting all over again, and the need to change how we interact with the climate we depend on to survive. 11-18 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
