Podcasts Culture Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson John Vaillant - A Riveting Exploration of Fire

John Vaillant - A Riveting Exploration of Fire

Published: Nov. 20, 2023, 5:50 p.m.

John Vaillant is a renowned writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and more, and he\u2019s 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\u2019 relationship with fire, and the future of fire-related disasters. And you don\u2019t have to take my word for it\u2013 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.

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"Fire Weather" tells the story of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire\u2013 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\u2013 why they are hotter, more aggressive, and more destructive than anything we\u2019ve seen before. Whether you\u2019re interested in the science of fire and forest health, the fascinating relationship between humans and fire, or you\u2019re just looking for a book that you won\u2019t be able to put down, I give "Fire Weather" my highest endorsement.

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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\u2019s 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\u2019s larger-than-life characters, John\u2019s long-term goals for the book, some of his favorite books, and much, much more.

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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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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • 3:30 - When John realized he wanted to write about fire
  • 11:15 - The surprising significance of dreams in John\u2019s 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\u2019s goals for his book, Fire Weather
  • 57:30 - John\u2019s book recommendations
  • 1:02:15 - John\u2019s parting words of wisdom

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