Maclean's Storm King book

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Anyone read "Fire on the Mountain" yet? Anyone seen a copy of it yet? Where can I get my hands on one?

-- Dan McComb (webmaster@smokejumpers.com), September 26, 1999

Answers

Thanks

Neal,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I used to be a journalist and asking the hard questions was definitely among the worst parts of the job. Sounds like Maclean did a great job with the book, and I can't wait to read it myself. I'll look for it after Oct. 1.

dan

-- Dan McComb (webmaster@smokejumpers.com), September 27, 1999.


"Fire on the Mountain"

Just finished reading the book this morning [26Sep99]. The Book isn't due to be published until Oct 1st, but I had ordered it about a month ago from Amazon.com for the nominal price of $16.80, and it arrived at my address on the 24th.

In my opinion, it is a very good book. There is much that I now know that I was afraid to ask before. Much of what I know has been from the offical report published in 1994, and from the little bit that I have heard in discussions around campfires. I personally know more than a few jumpers, and have been on fires with some of those who were survivors of Storm King, but have been loath to ask them about the incident, not knowing how deep or painful the scar might be. So, this book serves for me, as I am sure it will serve for others, as "The Offical View From Ground Zero", the Author having done the painful task of asking the painful questions.

Between this very important book and the "Fire Behavior Chronology Report", which was just published in January, many of my opinions and perspectives have changed, very many questions have been answered, and more questions have arisen. Hopefully, these questions, in time, will be answered as well.

As a Forest Service Firefighter with intentions of not only becoming a jumper, but a damn good one, MacLean's book, as his father's, shall always be near and dear to my heart. I find great satisfaction that John MacLean has taken up his father's role as the powerful, authoritive, wise, and compassionate voice of the "Protector of the Troops", probing into places where we cannot go and asking questions that we dare not ask, and letting us, the "family" of Wildland Firefighters, know what he has found in as fair and unbiased a manner as anyone could.

The book also make me more aware of the Champions throughout various Federal and State Agencies who have fought valiantly to protect some shred of integrity of the Seasonal Wildland Firefighter, and not play the "Blame Game" as we all have seen happen so often when things go wrong and a Government agency is involved. I feel deep gratitude toward Ted Putnum and his like, too numerous to mention here, who have stood their ground and risked their careers for what was right.

Finally, I must apologize for being overly long-winded and maybe a little too pretentious in making these comments Here, of all places, but having just read a book which sent me on an emotional roller coaster, these are the thoughts and feelings that it left me with.

-- Neal Maben (naardvark@montana.campuscwix.net), September 27, 1999.


BOOK NOW ONLINE

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN is now online at: www.wildfirenews.com/fireonthemountain with reviews, ordering information, and photos from the book.

-- kelly (editor@wildfirenews.com), February 14, 2000.

Fire on the Mountain

Just bought a copy in Santa Rosa, CA (Costco) for $13.99 (list is $24.00) 275 pages. photos. Jacket liner states that it took four years and 50,000 miles of auto travel for the author to get the answers to his questions. Haven't read it yet, but looks good and if his dad shared any insights with his son about how to write it should be an excellent book.

-- David Owen RAC-66 (Welshmon@aol.com), October 07, 1999.

Old posting in the forum, Dan. Have you read it yet?

-- (sncgidlund@nidlink.com), December 07, 1999.


Maclean's website

John Maclean's book FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN: The True Story of The South Canyon Fire is now online with a new website at http://www.wildfirenews.com/fireonthemountain

The South Canyon Fire of July 6, 1994 has touched many lives in the years since it took the lives of 14 firefighters on the slopes of Colorado's Storm King Mountain. Those bonded to the fire range from firefighters who survived the blaze to the family members of those who died there to the other people who worked in fire that summer who will never forget. This website is intended as common ground for anyone with a tie to the fire; it includes photos from the book, an author's note, book reviews, and ordering information.

-- editor@wildfirenews.com (editor@wildfirenews.com), January 31, 2000.


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