This month we are reading The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan
Below is the book description
A dramatic account of the worst forest fire in American history by the author of the National Book Award–winning The Worst Hard Time.
On the afternoon of August 20, 1910, a battering ram of wind moved through the drought-stricken national forest of Washington, Idaho, and Montana, whipping the hundreds of small blazes burning across the forest floor into a roaring inferno. Forest rangers had assembled nearly ten thousand men—college boys, day workers, immigrants from mining camps—to fight the fire. But no living person had seen anything like those flames, and neither the rangers nor anyone else knew how to subdue them.
Timothy Egan narrates the struggles of the overmatched ranges against the implacable fire with unstoppable dramatic force. Equally dramatic is the larger story he tells of outsize president Teddy Roosevelt ad his chief forester, Gifford Pinchot. Pioneering the notion of conservation, Roosevelt and Pinchot did nothing less than create the idea of public land as our national treasure, owned by and preserved for every citizen.
“An important cautionary tale for these days that also reads like a classic adventure story.”—Washington Times
PBS has a corresponding film available here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/burn/
Discussion questions:
What are your views on American conservation? Did this book change them?
The Forest Service plays a central role in the book with dedicated members of the service giving everything to try to prevent the fire and minimize the damage once it had begun. Today, much of the work done by the Forest Service is focused on fighting wildfires. Have we learned from the Big Burn or are we following a similar path? How should Climate Change factor into this?
Profiting off of timber from the forests is a central issue in the book. Should the forests be managed for profit from timber or preserved? Is there a middle ground? How should we factor in other benefits such as carbon sequestration, water quality and recreation?
Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot and John Muir talked about the inspirational landscapes and forests of the West that lead them to lives dedicated to conservation. Is exposure to the outdoors a necessary element to conservation and if so what are the implications of today’s youth being removed from nature?
Did we learn from the fire? Are there any parallels between what Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot were fighting against and what modern conservationists face today?
Do you have a personal story connected to the events or figures in this book?
One notable passage (pp. 148-149) reads: “The Italians had a saying: ‘I came to America because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, I found out three things. First, the streets weren’t paved with gold. Second, they weren’t paved at all. And third, I was expected to pave them.’” Were there any passages you took note of?
You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group! We'll delve into the topics of wilderness, preservation, and conservation through reading, contemplation, and discussion.
This group meets in-person in Boulder, Colorado every other month. The group is open to all (IPWA volunteers, supporters, and the public). We'll gain a deeper understanding of wilderness through fiction and non-fiction selections, including works by renowned authors such as Aldo Leopold, Wallace Stegner, Terry Tempest Williams, Timothy Egan, Edward Abbey, E.O. Wilson, and others.
Please consider joining us for an upcoming Reading Group gathering in Boulder, CO!
March 21, 2024 - The Big Burn by Timothy Egan, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here
May 16, 2024 - Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here
July 18, 2024 - On Trails: An Exploration by Robert Moor, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here
These books are widely available at local libraries, bookstores (such as our local favorite, Boulder Bookstore), and online retailers.
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