1776

The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, by Timothy Egan

This book tells two stories. The first is about the largest wildfire in American history burning through the Pacific Northwest’s national forests in 1910. It destroyed towns and killed many people. The Forest Service was under-manned and ill-equiped. The rangers and the volunteers had no hope of stopping a fire that size. In one weekend, 3 million acres burned.

The second story is about how Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot fought to set aside and protect these forests for the American people. Corrupt politicians and rich businessmen opposed Roosevelt. Eventually Roosevelt left office, and Taft became President. The robber barons had a field day undoing Roosevelt’s work.

Egan says that the fire revealed the heroism of the rangers and swayed public opinion in favor of conserving these forests. The fire that destroyed so much, and ruined so many lives, also galvanized the Forest Service and American conservation efforts.

Timothy Egan has written an interesting and exciting popular history book. Both stories held my interest, even though the two pieces made some parts seem repetitive in a weird circular way. This is the first book of his I have read, and I now plan on going back and reading his previous work.

Smithsonian Magazine did an interview with Egan and also posted an essay on the fire.

Related posts:

1. New History Books - October 2009 October new book releases in United States history....
2. Book Review: Empire of Liberty A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 ...
3. Book Review: Yours To Command The Life and Legend of Texas Ranger Captain Bill McDonald...
4. Book Review: Cahokia Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi...
5. Book Review: Nature’s Ghosts Confronting Extinction from the Age of Jefferson to the Age...