Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

John Vaillant - A Riveting Exploration of Fire

Nov 20, 2023

01:07:54

John Vaillant is a renowned writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and more, and he’s also the author of classic books including "The Tiger" and "The Golden Spruce." His most recent book is "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World," which is a must-read for anyone interested in wildfires, humans’ relationship with fire, and the future of fire-related disasters. And you don’t have to take my word for it– the book won the 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction and was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

"Fire Weather" tells the story of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire– a historic and apocalyptic fire that torched the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and spread across nearly 1.5 million acres of forest. With this epic disaster as the focal point, John masterfully weaves in the fascinating histories of fire, the fossil fuel industry, and climate science. He also explores 21st-century wildfires– why they are hotter, more aggressive, and more destructive than anything we’ve seen before. Whether you’re interested in the science of fire and forest health, the fascinating relationship between humans and fire, or you’re just looking for a book that you won’t be able to put down, I give "Fire Weather" my highest endorsement.

Wildfires are obviously becoming more and more intense and destructive here in the West, so I was excited to chat with John and dig deeper into the history of fire and the outlook for the future. We discussed why he decided to devote many years to writing about this particular wildfire, and how the book’s ingenious structure came to him in a dream. We talk about the similarities between living beings and fire, a fascinating idea known as the Lucretius Problem, some of the story’s larger-than-life characters, John’s long-term goals for the book, some of his favorite books, and much, much more.

A huge thanks to John for writing such an impactful book and for taking the time to chat with me. I encourage you to pick up a copy of "Fire Weather" as soon as you can, but in the meantime, enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with John Vaillant.

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"Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World" by John Vaillant
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Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/john-vaillant/

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

3:30 - When John realized he wanted to write about fire
11:15 - The surprising significance of dreams in John’s writing
14:15 - How John organizes the information in his head so he can write
19:45 - A brief note on pacing, and the similarities between living beings and fire
30:45 - The Lucretius Problem
35:45 - How John finds the characters for his book
44:15 - How John handles writing about someone in a less-than-flattering light
52:00 - John’s goals for his book, Fire Weather
57:30 - John’s book recommendations
1:02:15 - John’s parting words of wisdom

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