Wall of Flame
The Heroic Battle to Save Southern California
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- €15.99
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- €15.99
Publisher Description
A dramatic look from the front lines at the most devastating fire siege in California history
With over seven miles of urban/wildland interface unburned for thirty years and beautiful homes lacing in and out of its picturesque hilly terrain, Rancho Cucamonga was a powder keg--one that finally exploded in October 2003 with a ferocity no one could have expected. Now, Erich Krauss brings you to the ever-shifting front lines of the battle against the catastrophic inferno, the rugged terrain, and the ferocious winds, where municipal and wildland firefighters joined forces to save thousands of homes and lives.
Wall of Flame recalls the unprecedented events surrounding the Grand Prix Fire, revealing the moments of apparent indecision, the lack of coordination, and even how local, state, and federal firefighters--each with missions that at times opposed one another--put their differences aside for the greater good in order to save Southern California. With each passing hour, the fire grew larger and their task more immense.
Mistakes were made. Plans collapsed. Even the most seasoned firefighters felt the world close in. But they persevered. After all, it was their city, their homes, and their loved ones they were entrusted to protect. Their community was counting on them to save their homes and all the history they had wrapped up in them. This was a battle they could not afford to lose.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Krauss (On the Line; Wave of Destruction) follows the firefighters who battled the firestorm that raged in the Rancho Cucamonga area of southern California in October 2003 in this incendiary narrative. Krauss employs terse prose ("Berger needed reinforcements, and he needed them now") to narrate the fiery chaos, weaving in fascinating technical details of how large grassfires are fought-from describing the challenges faced by a helicopter water carrier whose water discharge mechanism malfunctions to the political machinations that govern command and control of firefighting operations. State, local and federal officials coordinated firefighting efforts, but dissonance among them (including confusion over chain-of-command and a reluctance on the part of each to call in air support for fear of being stuck with the bill) contributed to delays that resulted in the fire's spread. Though Krauss excels at detail work, his dialogue tends to be awkward and needlessly explanatory, resulting in firefighters and bureaucrats who don't come to life. A harrowing account of the finer details of firefighting, this book will appeal to civilians and professionals alike.
