Wildfire is a natural process that takes place in forests and grasslands all over the world. Although commonly seen as destructive and deadly, fire is a necessary part of ecosystems; they refresh the land and allow for new plant growth. Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire examines how Indigenous people, farmers, and forestry departments have used fire to manage resources and how climate change is impacting the future of fire.

Today authors Ferin David Anderson and Stephanie Sammartino McPherson join us on the Lerner blog to discuss the initial inspiration behind the book, the collaboration process, and more. Read on to find a free downloadable discussion guide!

What drew you to the science of fire, and what made you decide to write a book about it?

Ferin Davis Anderson (FDA): I’ve been interested in fire since I first learned about the benefits in college. I was intrigued because some of my classmates were still skeptical of the benefits because of their fear and lack of understanding of the practice of prescribed burning. Since then, I have continued to learn about the ecological significance of fire and also how fire played a significant role in my ancestors lives. I was interested in sharing this with others, especially students who would likely not be exposed to good fire in their everyday lives. 

What was the most fascinating thing you learned while writing Wildfire?

Stephanie Sammartino McPherson (SSM): Numerous animals and plants, such as the gopher tortoise, the black-backed woodpecker, and eucalyptus trees depend on fire to reproduce and/or thrive. I found this fascinating. Another remarkable fact – Fire can actually create its own weather. The fact that there is a super high-intensity blaze that can spawn a fire tornado amazed me.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book?

SSM: It’s always challenging to keep a book as up-to-date as possible with a topic that is continuously in the news. The initial draft of Wildfire was written and submitted  when the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in one hundred years broke out on the island of Maui in August 2023. I felt the book would be incomplete without the inclusion of this fire, and there was still time and space to add a sidebar. This was especially personal to me because I have been to Maui where I fell in love with the town of Lahaina and the banyan tree in Lahaina that was so severely damaged. The goal is to keep the book as current as possible as developments continue to occur.

What was the collaboration process like?

FDA: It was great – having Stephanie’s experience writing for this aged audience was instrumental in finalizing the process. We talked over the phone, and she listened to my real world experiences and we were able to capture the importance of fire into text. I appreciated the time she took to get it right. 

SSM: Ferin originated the project, a natural extension of her environmental work and participation in cultural burns. Although she and I live halfway across the country from each other, we talked on the phone. Ferin helped me really understand the importance of fire to the environment and to indigenous culture. She was adamant that fire is not an enemy but an indispensable part of the natural world and an important tool.

This book combines both the cultural and scientific significance of fire. How did you structure the book to achieve that balance?

FDA: I think sometimes people don’t think that our cultural experiences can be scientific, but this text provides great examples of how Indigenous people have traditional knowledge and are applying this knowledge it what we might consider contemporary scientific settings. We have always been observational and learned from our surroundings, others are just catching up and understanding this.

SSM: In a way, the book structured itself because it was impossible to separate the cultural and the scientific significance. For example, when Colombian president Gustavo Petro addressed the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2023, he recalled the words an Indigenous leader had shared with him years earlier. Roberto Cobaria had said that oil was the lifeblood of Mother Earth and that extracting oil from the ground would one day destroy life. By 2023, his prediction was already coming true with the growing threat of climate change, partly the result of extracting oil and fossil fuels from the earth and burning them. History, culture, science, and contemporary events converged in Petro’s presentation. Such convergences seem to happen frequently.

What do you hope readers will still be thinking about long after reading Wildfire?

FDA: That good fire is something that is needed and we need to continue to build capacity and tolerance within our communities to perform this beneficial and cultural practice. 

SSM: I hope readers will always remember that fire is an indispensable part of nature – that regular low-intensity fires clean out dried underbrush and grasses, the fuel of future, potentially larger, more damaging fires. Fire also promotes biodiversity and gives certain species of plants and animals the chance to thrive. Indigenous peoples have always understood this, and now scientists and ecologists are beginning to turn to their wisdom, instituting prescribed burns, to promote ecological balance and lessen the chance of future out-of-control fires.

Free Educator Resource

Download this free discussion guide to find detailed questions to pair with each chapter. This may also be downloaded from the Lerner website.

Praise for Wildfire

★ “It’s nice to have this balanced, reassuring offering that puts wildfires into ecological perspective. . . This authoritative STEAM selection has multiple crosscurricular applications, engaging live action-style reporting on narrow escapes and heroic deeds, and serves as a buffer for climate anxiety.” — starred, Booklist

“Advocacy for Indigenous fire-management practices, a thorough account of wildfire science, information on firefighting—and a blazing black-and-orange color scheme—make this book a hot ticket. . . Skillfully introduces the complex story of wildfires, Indigenous knowledge, and climate change.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Anderson explores the science of wildfires and the history of policies and attitudes towards wildfires. She examines the connection between climate change and wildfires, and looks at the people and technology available to fight fire . . . an excellent resource for research. Reviewer Rating: 4″ — Children’s Literature

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