— COMING SOON —
When Embers Fade pulls back the curtain on the world of wildland firefighting—where experience can mean the difference between control and catastrophe, but the system is bleeding that experience dry.
Split-second decisions shape survival, camaraderie is forged in smoke and sweat, and the flames are only part of the battle. But beyond the fireline, another crisis is burning—one that few talk about. With high turnover, shrinking budgets, and reckless leadership decisions, the system is failing the very firefighters risking everything to protect communities. As experience is cast aside in favor of cost-cutting, the question remains: how long before the system collapses under its own weight?
This is not a glorified adventure story. It’s a raw, boots-on-the-ground account of what it truly means to fight fire, what it takes to survive it, and why the people who do this job deserve better.
THE WILDFIRE TWENTY
In the spring of 2011, a devastating wildfire nearly destroyed the town of Slave Lake. From the ashes of this disaster emerged a new kind of firefighting crew—elite 20-person teams specifically trained to battle wildfires threatening entire communities. These crews became known simply as “Units.”
The Wildfire Twenty is veteran firefighter Harold Larson’s gripping memoir, chronicling his experience leading the first Peace River Unit as they confront natural disasters on an epic scale.
From battling massive blazes throughout the province, chasing lightning fires by helicopter, to assisting in the catastrophic southern Alberta floods of 2013, Larson’s crew would face relentless physical and mental challenges. Through perseverance, courage, and friendship, they would not only redefine wildland firefighting in Northern Alberta but forge a lifelong bond as The Wildfire Twenty.
Available wherever books are sold.
2017 NGIBA Finalist: Memoirs (Overcoming Adversity/Tragedy)
FIRE IN THE EUCALYPTS
On February 7, 2009, devastating wildfires swept across the Australian countryside throughout the State of Victoria. Eight consecutive years of drought and record-breaking temperatures fueled fires that spread at unprecedented rates, destroying entire communities and claiming 173 lives. This tragedy would forever be remembered as “Black Saturday.”
Fire in the Eucalypts is the powerful memoir of a Canadian firefighter embedded with Australian wildland crews during that unforgettable fire season. From training camp to the frontline, his journey would lead him directly into the heart of Australia's worst natural disaster in history.
Available wherever books are sold.
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