Awful Splendour

by Stephen J. Pyne

2011 · UBC Press

Fire is a defining element in Canadian land and life. With few exceptions, Canada’s forests and prairies have evolved with fire. Its peoples have exploited fire and sought to protect themselves from its excesses, and since Confederation, the country has devised various institutions to connect fire and society. The choices Canadians have made says a great deal about their national character. Awful Splendour narrates the history of this grand saga. It will interest geographers, historians, and members of the fire community.

World Fire

by Stephen J. Pyne

1997 · University of Washington Press

World Fire is the story of how fire and humans have coevolved. The two are inseparable, and together they have repeatedly remade the planet.