"... It is an elite hotshot handcrew. It
plans and prepares for fire. Crew
members are called hotshots because
they work on the hottest part of a fire.
They do not slide down poles or ride
in shiny red trucks. They are hikers
and campers - part lumberjack, part
mountain goat. They are stewards of
the land."
They are in the news already this spring. Wildfires are happening because of the lack of winter snow cover and the drought-like conditions in fall 2023. Firefighters are at work to do their best to protect people, their homes and the vast acres of land that are in the path of the raging fires.
It seems a very appropriate time to remind readers about the training given and incredible bravery that those who 'hold the line' display as they work for the safety of all threatened by these wildfires. Dan Paley does an impressive job of talking about the many facets of watching for, and fighting fires. A lookout stands in a tall tower, spending the day keeping watch for threatening storms and the wisps of smoke that might signal a fire.
With each turn of the page, readers learn more about the important work done to discover, fight and control all fires. The teams support each other as they do their best to ensure rapid response and stop the advance of the destruction. It is dangerous and exhausting work. He describes the firefighters themselves, their equipment, their methods, and the support they receive as they get the rest they need to begin their next shift.
"Wildland firefighters work 16-hour days, 14 days in a row, with 1-hour rest periods for every two hours of work. This is called a roll. In peak season, they might work 18 to 24 hours a day, often straight through the night."
Molly Mendoza does an incredible job of creating intense scenes that show the action and emotion of firefighting, as well as the special equipment used for the work these brave women and men do. Digitally created details hold attention and pinpoint many distinct features for the breadth of the work undertaken. Most are double-page spreads that are overlaid with text boxes referring to specific additional information, or labeled points of interest.
Back matter is extensive, describing fire ecology, the history of fire management, and a new approach that teaches how to live with the threat of fire and help develop fire-resilient communities. Further to that, there is a description of the people who choose firefighting as a career, a clear and labeled look at the protective equipment used, lists of 10 standard firefighting orders and 18 watch out situations, and finally, personal fire-related notes from both author and illustrator.
Extensive and informative, this excellent book is worthy of attention and sharing as another fire season has begun.
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