Inside the Flames: The Untold Story of a Hotshot’s Fierce Battle for Survival
One way in which hotshots attempt to control wildfires is through controlled burning. But this idea of the controlled burn — a preventative measure — is one that has also been abused throughout American history by white settlers, to the detriment of the natural world. Selby’s own relationship to the land as well as the idea of a controlled burn is a complicated one. But ultimately, it serves as a means to cleanse both the soil and themself.
Selby leverages history throughout the book to underscore the cyclical nature of healing, harm, and regeneration within nature and within ourselves over time. Controlled burns were once used by indigenous people to live in harmony with the land itself. White settlers, however, oftentimes saw fire as a violent threat against their homes and businesses.
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