Gary Ferguson

Recent Posts

Fire ecology prof: We’d better get used to this

Fire

As a follow-up to our recent story about “Land on Fire,” Gary Ferguson’s new book, here’s an interesting interview with Philip Higuera, a professor of fire ecology at the University of Montana. In no-nonsense terms, he talks about drought, the traditional role of fires in forest ecosystems, the advisability of tree-thinning to prevent fires, climate change and “good” and “bad” fires. Here’s one good example of his way of thinking, in response to the question of whether should be building houses in what as known as the wildland-urban interface:

“Every place on our planet has some natural phenomenon that is not friendly to humans. If you live on the East Coast, you are going to experience hurricanes. If you live in the Midwest, you are going to experience tornadoes. Continue Reading →

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Red Lodge writer sees more fires in our future

Chelan

In this summer of brutal heat, smoke and ash, in the midst of what Gov. Steve Bullock has called an “unprecedented fire season,” Gary Ferguson’s new book couldn’t be more timely. In “Land on Fire: The New Reality of Wildfire in the West,” Ferguson deftly summarizes the grim situation we are all confronting. He explains the science of fires, the complicated mechanics of fighting them and what happens to the land in their wake.  (more…) Continue Reading →

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