Extreme Wildfire: Smoke Jumpers, High-Tech Gear, Survival Tactics, and the Extraordinary Science of Fire

I bought this book thinking my grandchildren would find it interesting when they visit. It is recommended for kids up to the age of 12 but of course, I had to read it, too. It is easy to read, the pictures are fantastic, and the text is quite informative. I live in forested country and am very conscious of fire danger but learned much more than I did know. Have always thought firefighters are heroic and this book confirms it. I highly recommend it for adults, too.

My 9 year old grandson loves reading about history. It must be in his genes. Both his dad and I have masters in history, He lives in Oakland, and when I sent this as a gift, forest fires were raging all around Northern California. It really was relevant at that time.

Great book by a great photographer and a great guy. He has captured the essence of being a wildland firefighter. I enjoyed working with Mark for a week on a large fire in Northern California.

Outstanding book on wildland fire for kids as well as grown ups. Amazing photography

Extreme Wildfire was an interesting and educational read. Everything is laid out in a thoughtful, easy to understand fashion. The fire facts, nature’s signals, and notes from the fields each give small bursts of useful (and cool!) information. I liked reading up on the famous fires. I’d never even heard of most of the fires, including Black Saturday or the Big Blowup. The pictures really give you a sense of what it’s like to be there, and exactly how dangerous it can be. These aren’t (for the most part) pretty pictures of flames. Instead the pictures do a great job at depicting the dangers and devastation a wildfire can bring. Mark Thiessen did a great job photographing all the fires. He’s … brave … to say the least!The immediacy of the fires isn’t the only thing that Extreme Wildfire is about. It also tells readers why fires start, what happens afterwards, and how beneficial wildfires can actually be. I had no clue that cleaning up after the fire was out could be so dangerous! Wildfires are one of nature’s recyclers and one of nature’s defenders. I knew that fire could be beneficial for forests, in clearing out undergrowth and such. I did not know that some things only germinated after fires. So, definitely enjoyed discovering that tidbit with my daughter. There’s nothing that they didn’t cover, as far as I know.Speaking of: When my kiddo laid eyes on the book, she immediately grabbed it and scurried to a corner of the couch. She didn’t give it back until she’d finished over half of it. There might have been bribes involved to get her to read it with me, instead of by herself. It was utterly fascinating to her. She was able to recognize the fire lookout’s responsibilities from watching Fireman Sam. The character Tom watches from a lookout tower and has a helicopter for rescues in case something happens. She particularly enjoyed reading the “Notes From the Field” sections.We will be making use of the emergency family plan tips that were included in the book.Overall, Extreme Wildfire was informative, engaging, and well laid out. I’d recommend it for anyone whose got some former Fireman Sam addicts in their brood.Disclaimer: I received and ARC from the publisher for review consideration.

Wildfires are notorious for burning during the summer months. We see this on the news every summer it seems. Photographer Mark Thiessen has been on the scene photographing the flames, firefighters and volunteers. He was able to be present during these disastrous events once he became certified as a wildland firefighter. He did this so he could better understand what firefighters go through and to share their stories. Thiessen has photographed dozens of wildfires over the past 20 years.Amazing photos of fires blazing through forests and over grasslands is not all what readers will find. The fire triangle (heat, fuel and oxygen) are what’s needed to grow a fire. Readers will see bits of facts in colorful boxes throughout the pages. A history of fires and how firefighters prepare to tackle them is also here. Some firefighters jump from planes others camp out close to the burning area. Readers will even see the various types of planes that carry equipment, water and chemicals that will help extinguish these raging blazes. “Wildfires generally spread outward in a V-pattern. The point, or base, of the charred V-shaped landscape is a good place to search for the fire’s origin and cause. But no single clue is foolproof.Children of all ages, parents and teachers will be able to open this book and learn about wildfires, how they burn, spreads and take over land and sometimes lives. Readers will see and feel the emotion of the firefighters and the devastation these fires cause. The back of the book has a glossary of terms, how to prepare an emergency kit for the home and resources for further reading and learning.

Fire, a topic both fascinating and terrifying, takes center stage in this new book by National Geographic Kids along with the men and women who fight it. Thiessen tells stories about his own experiences getting firefighter certified and some of the fires he's witnessed. I think that personal touch makes this book all the more compelling. The variety of stunning photographs doesn't hurt the pull of the book either. In addition to the stories about real fires, Thiessen also presents information about training, the different types of firefighters, strategies for fighting fires, as well as the basics of wildfires (such as that they require three things to occur: heat, fuel, and oxygen). Other topics addressed include: fighting fires from the ground, fighting fires from the air, and the ecology of wildfires (why they aren't always bad, and how nature recovers). The last section of the book talks about how we have to live with wildfires and what we can to do to avoid them when possible. This is a great resource for those interested in firefighting and a fascinating account of a natural phenomenon.