Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter WorldFire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World
What it's about
In May 2016, a wildfire swept into Fort McMurray, the heart of Canada's oil industry, and in a single afternoon drove 88,000 people from their homes while melting cars and leveling neighborhoods. John Vaillant tells the story of that day minute by minute, then widens out to explain the history of the oil industry, the science of fire and how a warming climate is producing a new kind of wildfire.
Why it's worth reading
The fire chapters are as gripping as any thriller, and the bigger story is essential for understanding the world we're entering. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize and was a Pulitzer finalist.
You'll love it if you liked
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
Everything Is TuberculosisGood to know
It alternates between the fire itself and history and science, which some readers find slows the pace. The fire scenes are intense.
By the numbers
- Readers85 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics78 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller9 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #12 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #22 of the 481 new books we rank
- #123 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, True story
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Quick answers
Is Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World worth reading?
Yes. The fire chapters are as gripping as any thriller, and the bigger story is essential for understanding the world we're entering. It ranks #123 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 85.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World about?
In May 2016, a wildfire swept into Fort McMurray, the heart of Canada's oil industry, and in a single afternoon drove 88,000 people from their homes while melting cars and leveling neighborhoods. John Vaillant tells the story of that day minute by minute, then widens out to explain the history of the oil industry, the science of fire and how a warming climate is producing a new kind of wildfire.
How long does it take to read Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World?
About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World won?
Baillie Gifford Prize winner (2023).
What should I read after Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World?
If you liked it, try The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert, The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes or Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green.