THE DEADLIEST FIRES THEN AND NOW

This history of deadly fires draws attention to the need for changes in both fire prevention and firefighting.

Hopkinson surveys 150 years of American fire disasters to show how outmoded practices and a warming climate have led to greater recognition of the need for different approaches, including adopting Indigenous practices of active forest management. The award-winning nonfiction writer engages readers with an accessible, conversational narrative as well as interesting information. She initially draws them in with a gripping first-person account of the atmosphere in fire-threatened Peshtigo, Wisconsin, in 1871, the site of the deadliest fire in U.S. history. She then describes the chronological organization of the material into three sections: the great Midwestern fires of the 19th century; 20th-century events, including fires in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake, New York City’s Triangle Waist Company fire, and the devastating fire in an abusive institution for Black boys in Wrightsville, Arkansas; and finally, 2018’s Camp Fire in Northern California. The first-person accounts, taken from historical documents and featuring diverse voices, add immediacy. Paintings and photographs break up the text; unfortunately, the art is reproduced in black and white, lessening the impact. There are also short informational essays, explanations of the role of primary sources in this kind of research, and invitations to readers to explore further interspersed among the chapters and as part of the backmatter.

A timely and compelling introduction to fire disasters.