Podcast appearances and mentions of John Vaillant

John Vaillant is today's guest, and this was a very special conversation that sat within a few days of spending a lot of time together and riffing on everything from new types of fires to debating the merits and qualities of RM Williams or Blundstone boots. John is a renowned author and writer, who for over thirty years has plied his trade in book writing and journalism. His narrative non fiction book The Tiger was an international best seller and included in GQ's 50 best books of the 21st century. Almost all of our conversation today though centres on his most recent book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World. It's one of the very best books I've ever read, but don't take it from me - Fire Weather won a Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, while it was named one of the best books of 2023 by the New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, TIME, National Public Radio, Slate, and Smithsonian.John was recently in town for a relatively short tour and I had the great pleasure of meeting him, hanging out and introducing him to a group of financial service employees too. As so much of the Northern Hemisphere continues to burn in yet another record breaking fire season, John's recollection of a gigantic fire in Fort McMurray in northern Canada in 2016 brings to life the horror and terror of what bigger, faster, more powerful and frankly, just plain new, fire systems mean for our and the planet's future. Through this book John has found himself a popular go-to for media outlets around the world who are looking to better understand what record breaking after unprecedented fire means, how they form and where we're headed.Here in Australia we are sadly all too familiar with the devastating effects of massive fires - but what if that is just the beginning of what is to come? How can we imagine a fire season worse than 2019/20? If wealthy parts of Los Angeles can be wiped off the map, where's safe? If the climate is changing everywhere to create new conditions for fire, then perhaps we need to prepare ourselves for not just imagery, but experiences anywhere that look like the pages from the Book of Revelation. This is truly horrifying stuff. I can't imagine the experience of being in or around the type of fire John chronicles in Canada and what we continue to see just about everywhere. But that's part of John's message - we need to work out how to not only imagine the unimaginable, but prepare for it.John's gift is in story telling. Be careful what you wish for though, bringing someone of John's calibre to the realities of a changing climate, what's already happened and where we're headed may be too much to contemplate. Support the Finding Nature Go HalfCut 2025 campaign!Events are live and more are coming - follow on Humanitix.Follow on LinkedIn, Substack and Instagram. Today's show is delivered with Altiorem. Use code FindingNature25 to get  25% off an annual subscription.Send me a messageThanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, focusing on the Pacific Palisades community and the implications for urban areas as climate change intensifies. Actor Martin Short's love for that community and how James feels connected to it. Alongside an in-depth look at John Vaillant's book Fire Weather, we uncover the growing wildfire threat to cities and practical ways to safeguard homes and lives. Encore episode that followed the Pacific Palisades Fires in Los Angeles, January 2025. We will be back on August 14th with our Patreon episode and August 20th with a new regular episode. UPDATE: CAL FIRE has marked Martin Short's home as 'undamaged'! This is contrary to the previous report by The Wrap. CORRECTION on the size of screen to protect attic vents. It should be no bigger than 1/8" opening (we said 1/4" which is an out-dated guideline.) Episode Highlights: Los Angeles Wildfires: Examining the catastrophic fires in Pacific Palisades, where a tight-knit, picturesque community was largely destroyed. We discuss the human stories, the risks of living in fire-prone areas, and the role of climate change in escalating wildfire events. Author John Vaillant: Insights from Fire Weather and Vaillant's analysis of urban wildfires as a dire climate threat, with compelling clips from his talks and audiobook. The Cost of Fire Risk: Why insurers are pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving homeowners scrambling for alternatives like the FAIR Plan. Tokyo's Disaster Preparedness: A spotlight on Tokyo's remarkable infrastructure designed to mitigate natural disasters, from flood tunnels to seismic standards for buildings. Home Fire Safety Tips: Learn critical steps to reduce the risk of your home catching fire in a wildfire, including creating defensible spaces, fireproofing materials, and evacuation best practices. Key Links Mentioned: Fire Weather by John Vaillant: Audiobook available here Induction Cooktop Review on Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/copper-charlie-induction-stove-review/ Raw video of Pacific Palisades fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7VVdGcDzE Contact Us: We love hearing from our listeners! Share your thoughts and questions at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com. Support Our Work: Help us continue creating climate-positive content: Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cleanenergypod

Chris and Claire revisit a conversation with award-winning, best-selling author John Vaillant who penned a highly lauded account of a colossal fire in his book "Fire Weather, A True Story from a Hotter World." Then, Sara Jo Dickens from Ecology Bridge and local mountain bike enthusiast Mike Sczcesny come on to talk about an opportunity to properly help clear out noxious weeds overtaking some of our more popular mountain biking trails on Park City Mountain.

Our listeners bought an air quality monitoring station for the podcast and we plan to make the most out of it! Already, James is learning about some bad air from industry in his Canadian city. 

Episode 115: In this episode, Kate sits down with Jordan Thomas to talk about his new book When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World. It might not be the conversation you expect, opening by exploring fire's centrality to what it is to be human and how relational and contextual fire is. Jordan guides us through the last ten thousand years of fire use by Indigenous communities. Jordan then does a dive into understanding the intertwining of fire and capitalism through the last 300 years, culminating in the last decade or so of megafires, fueled by climate change. Jordan is an anthropologist and former wildland firefighter and while he's sharing how fire has transformed our world, he also shares how the process of writing this book transformed him, and the joy, grief, trauma, and love he goes through in his search to better understand fire. The conversation winds down talking about prescribed burns and using fire with intention. In the end, Kate and Jordan come back around to relationships and how much they matter in exploring how humanity might once again shift their relationship with fire. Jordan's Book: When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed WorldReference Episodes:Episode 112: Mariah Blake on PFAS, Chemicals in Firefighting Episode 61:Robbie Krapfel on Fighting FireEpisode 95: Brock Dolman on Fire, Water, and BeaversEpisode 72: Ben Goldfarb on Beavers, Built and Natural Worlds Episode 85: John Vaillant on FireEpisode 93: John Perlin on our Relationship to Wood and ForestsEpisode 113: Marguerite Holloway on Our Relationship to ForestsSupport Kate: PatreonSubstackPayPal-Leave a One Time TipSponsored By:REDMOND REAL SALT: Use code MINDBODYSOIL_15 for 15% off at Redmond.lifeAffiliates:FIELD COMPANY CAST IRON: fieldcompany.com/kate_kavanaughBAHÉ FOOTWEAR: Use the code ‘Kate10' for 10% off. HOME OF WOOL: 10% off Home of

In the winter of 1997, a man-eating tiger terrorized a remote village in the Russian Far East. This wasn't a defensive attack — the tiger was hunting specific humans, with eerie patience and purpose. What followed is one of the most chilling wildlife stories ever documented. Listen to Watch Her Cook on Apple and Spotify! Follow us on Instagram Sources: The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival, by John Vaillant (2010). Conflict Tiger, film by Sasha Snow (2006). For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at: Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page! Thank you to the week's partners! Liquid IV: Use our code NPAD at checkout to get 20% off your first order.  IQBAR: Text PARK to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products and free shipping Hello Fresh: Use our link to get up to 10 FREE meals and a free item for life. BetterHelp: National Park After Dark is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off.

Episode 112: In this episode, Kate is joined by journalist Mariah Blake to discuss her new book, ‘They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals.' Together, they trace the buried history of PFAS and forever chemicals—synthetic chemicals first developed in the 1930's—that would go on to saturate everything from firefighting foam to clothes to town water supplies, with devastating consequences for public health.The conversation centers on the story of Hoosick Falls, New York, where a small community uncovered widespread PFAS contamination in their drinking water and began a fight for justice. Kate and Mariah explore the regulatory ignorance that allowed this to happen, the role of DuPont and other chemical giants in shaping the response, and how communities are rising to meet the crisis.They discuss how outrage becomes a catalyst for environmental change, and how ordinary people—farmers, military families, and local organizers—are now on the front lines of the PFAS fight. Through the lens of Blake's reporting, this episode is a powerful look at what happens when chemical convenience collides with human health, and how resilience grows in even the most contaminated ground.Find Mariah:They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals by Mariah BlakeInstagram: @mariahcblakeX: @mariahcblakeSupport Kate: PatreonSubstackPayPal-Leave a One Time TipResources MentionedPlastic List created by Nat Friedman: https://www.plasticlist.org Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel Dr. Max Liboiron — https://civiclaboratory.nl Time Bombing the Future by Rebecca Altman Richard Rhodes Making of Atomic BombRelated Episodes:Episode 85 with John Vaillant on Consumption, the Petrochemical IndustryEpisode 82 with Jay Owens on Dust, Testing the Bomb, Our Polluted WorldEpisode 83 with Helen Czerski on the OceanSponsored By:REDMOND REAL SALT: Use code MINDBODYSOIL_15 for 15% off at Redmond.lifeAffiliates:

While in Vancouver on tour, Ryan Holiday met up with one of his favorite authors, John Vaillant, to discuss how destruction and crisis can fuel creativity and change. They talk about the lessons wildfires and other natural disasters teach us, not just about nature but about resilience, adaptation, and the stories we tell to make sense of disruption. John shares what it was like to be nominated for a Pulitzer, how success and recognition can be both motivating and distracting, and why embracing uncertainty is key to any creative process. Follow John on Instagram @johnvaillant_.

The wildfire that devastated Fort McMurray in 2016 burned more than 579,000 hectares of land, drove 88,000 people from their homes and caused nearly $10 billion in damages. It's often seen as an outlier, a freak natural disaster. But extreme wildfires, like those that tore through Los Angeles earlier this year, are becoming more intense and harder to control. “We all saw the smoke, and too many of us have seen the fire,” says John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. “Weather is different now, and fire is different now.” Hotter, drier weather is turning our forests into kindling, and emergency responders are struggling to handle our new reality: intense, unpredictable fires fuelled by a changing climate. In this special episode, host Manjula Selvarajah sits down with Vaillant to better understand how we got here and to see if there is any way out.Featured in this episode: John Vaillant is a Vancouver-based author and freelance journalist. His latest work, the Pulitzer Prize–nominated Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, chronicles how the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire turned entire neighbourhoods into firebombs and destroyed 2,400 homes and businesses. Further reading: Forged by fire: Fort McMurray 5 years after the disasterCanada needs to get ready for a future fraught with fire: How can the forest sector respond?FACT SHEET: Climate change and wildfiresCanada's 2023 wildfires emitted more carbon than most countriesLandscapes turned into hellscapes, shock and the ongoing fight against wildfires in Los AngelesLos Angeles wildfires magnify California's “insurance crisis” as homeowners face billions in lossesSubscribe to Solve for X: Innovations to Change the World here. And below, find a transcript to “Fire alarm: Rethinking innovation in an increasingly volatile world.” This interview was recorded at MaRS Climate Impact on December 4, 2024. Solve for X is brought to you by MaRS, North America's largest urban innovation hub and a registered charity. MaRS supports startups and accelerates the adoption of high-impact solutions to some of the world's biggest challenges. For more information, visit marsdd.com.

We were already editing this episode when the L.A. fires broke out on January 7, 2025. In fact, our editor Dean Grinsfelder had to evacuate as the flames moved in. So did my 91-year-old dad, and so did my co-producer James Tooley's parents and brothers and their families; one of those brothers saw his house burn to the ground. All of which is to say, I guess, that podcasts, though they live in the ether, don't exist in a vacuum, and neither do we. We're all connected. And so, while those impacted by the LA fires regroup and recover, we want to share an important story – recorded live at the 2024 Conference – about another, eerily similar and catastrophic fire that was the centerpiece of journalist John Vaillant's award-winning book Fire Weather. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian journalist John Vaillant (Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast) beams in from Southern California to talk to This is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir about what distinguishes a 21st-century fire from those in the past. Why are wildfires around the world, including in Canada, so hard to contain? Can British Columbia and Canada learn anything new from California's recent wildfires?Recorded: January 13, 2025

The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, focusing on the Pacific Palisades community and the implications for urban areas as climate change intensifies. Actor Martin Short's love for that community and how James feels connected to it. Alongside an in-depth look at John Vaillant's book Fire Weather, we uncover the growing wildfire threat to cities and practical ways to safeguard homes and lives. Repost of a re-edited episode. UPDATE: CAL FIRE has marked Martin Short's home as 'undamaged'! This is contrary to the previous report by The Wrap. CORRECTION on the size of screen to protect attic vents. It should be no bigger than 1/8" opening (we said 1/4" which is an out-dated guideline.) Episode Highlights: Los Angeles Wildfires: Examining the catastrophic fires in Pacific Palisades, where a tight-knit, picturesque community was largely destroyed. We discuss the human stories, the risks of living in fire-prone areas, and the role of climate change in escalating wildfire events. Author John Vaillant: Insights from Fire Weather and Vaillant's analysis of urban wildfires as a dire climate threat, with compelling clips from his talks and audiobook. The Cost of Fire Risk: Why insurers are pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving homeowners scrambling for alternatives like the FAIR Plan. Tokyo's Disaster Preparedness: A spotlight on Tokyo's remarkable infrastructure designed to mitigate natural disasters, from flood tunnels to seismic standards for buildings. Home Fire Safety Tips: Learn critical steps to reduce the risk of your home catching fire in a wildfire, including creating defensible spaces, fireproofing materials, and evacuation best practices. Key Links Mentioned: Fire Weather by John Vaillant: Audiobook available here Induction Cooktop Review on Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/copper-charlie-induction-stove-review/ Raw video of Pacific Palisades fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7VVdGcDzE Contact Us: We love hearing from our listeners! Share your thoughts and questions at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com. Support Our Work: Help us continue creating climate-positive content: Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cleanenergypod Follow Us: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cleanenergypod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleanenergypod/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thecleanenergyshow Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-clean-energy-show/id1498854987 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nIGJi8pZ9EmiJTPY4VOr5 Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon for exciting perks!  

You won't see him waiting in the dark. Sitting just inside the shadows  so that the light doesn't touch him. And he has been waiting here, for you, for days.  If you would have taken the time to slow down, you might have noticed the footprints surrounding the cabin, in a calm and even stride.  But now, it is too late.  Because you wounded him. You stole from him. And now, it is his time to get his revenge.  And all you can do is try to defend your life. But as the seconds tick by, it becomes more and more apparent that the entire community around you will begin to wonder if man is really as strong as we think we are.  Or if the top predator is really that of the tiger.  Sources: The outdoors are a beautiful that can be filled with light and bliss and many different ways to bring yourself closer to those you love and yourself. But they can also be filled with terror and death, imminent and oppressive. Join me as we dig into these stories that inspire you to be just a little bit more careful while you're in the outdoors. Please rate and subscribe from whatever listening platform you use.  Be sure to join us on Patreon for exclusive content, sneak peaks, and more! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to get the most up to see photos and relevant episode information.  And don't forget to send us a Campfire Confessional to tragedywithaview@gmail.com - accepting all stories from the outdoors but especially looking for those that make us laugh to help lighten the heaviness that comes with tragedy. Sources:  NPR; witness.worldpressphoto.org; Radioboston; www.themirror.com; The Tiger, a True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant; conservewildcats.org

5x15 is delighted to announce a special online event with two award-winning authors, the acclaimed Yale professor Sunil Amrith, and John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in 2023. They will be in conversation about Amrith's new book The Burning Earth, a paradigm-shifting survey of how human history has reshaped the planet over the last 500 years. Humans have always searched for freedom. Ever since innovations in agriculture vastly expanded production of the staples of food energy, our remarkable achievements in reshaping nature have brought about an overwhelming expansion in the life chances of billions of people. Yet every technological innovation has also empowered humans to exploit each other and the planet with fierce brutality, making the history of the environment inextricably linked to the histories of Empire, genocide, eco-cide and war. As the threat of climate change becomes ever clearer, join us for an important conversation with two of the leading authors in this field. They will discuss how we have got to where we are now, and what we must do to be better citizens of the planet in the future. Praise for The Burning Earth 'The Burning Earth is a marvelously erudite and wide-ranging account of the steadily accelerating ecological transformation of the planet since the twelfth century. An indispensable contribution to both environmental and global history.'- AMITAV GHOSH 'The Burning Earth, which is nothing short of a history of the world, is as beautiful as it is indispensable, as breathtaking as it is devastating. It answers questions most of us have been too daft even to ask. It will set you on fire.'- JILL LEPORE Sunil Amrith is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History and professor in the School of the Environment at Yale University. He is the author of four books, and a recipient of multiple awards including a MacArthur “Genius” fellowship and the 2024 Fukuoka Prize for outstanding achievements in the field of Asian studies. He grew up in Singapore and lives in Connecticut. John Vaillant is the international bestselling author of The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival and The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed. He has written for, among others, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, is a page-turning account of a brutal urban wildfire, and a sweeping exploration of our rapidly changing relationship with fire on Earth. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2023 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

A fire broke out in October of this year at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin. It took officials weeks to contain the brushfires. The Connecticut National Guard borrowed helicopters to dump more than 100,000 gallons of water on the fire. While attempting to fight the fire, tragically, Wethersfield volunteer firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr. died. Sharkevich was riding a utility task vehicle on one of the mountain trails when it rolled over. The recent brush fires in Connecticut are forcing us to face the state of our changing climate and prepare for a future where wildfires could become more normal in our region. John Vaillant, author of the 2023 book, Fire Weather: On the Front Lines of a Burning World recently penned an op-ed in the New York Times entitled “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Northeast Is Burning.” He'll join us today to react to the recent wildfires, and talk about what we can do to prepare. GUESTS: John Vaillant: author of Fire Weather: On the Front Lines of a Burning World Dr. Saud Anwar: Connecticut State Senator Mason Trumble: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the holidays approaching, hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson focus on books. Jim speaks with John Vaillant, author of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist for general nonfiction, Fire Weather, an account of a tragic massive Canadian wildfire and the potential consequences resulting from climate change (4:15). Gayle sits down again with Valley Bookseller's Pamela Klinger-Horn to talk about her top book choices for this holiday season across many genres (27:00). Plus an update of local news (50:30) and information about the Trump cabinet appointee who formerly lived in Marine on St. Croix. Matt Quast is technical director.This Week's GuestsJohn Vaillant, Author, Fire WeatherPamela Klinger-Horn, Valley BooksellerPamela's Book RecommendationsGovernment Links:City of Marine on St. CroixCity of ScandiaMay TownshipWashington CountyNews LinksJohn Vaillant's New York Times Op-EdWisconsin Public Radio Article on Enbridge PipelineEvent LinksMarine Documentary Night – The Best of UsFree Entrance Day to Minnesota State Parks – Nov. 29Free Entrance Day to Washington County Parks – Nov. 29Business/Organization Links:Marine Community Library

The obstacles are not impediments, they are opportunities. They are not holding us back, they are fueling us.

This week on Zero, Reporter Akshat Rathi sits down with Renee Salas, an emergency medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and a leading expert on the health impacts of global warming. The intersection of health and climate change is a growing area of research, and an increasingly urgent one: Heat deaths among seniors, for example, are projected to increase 370% by mid-century.  But even the young and relatively healthy are at risk.. “The take-home I want everyone to go away with is that we all are at risk for this,” Salas says, “especially as we get into more and more extreme conditions.” Explore further: Past episode with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe about how higher temperatures results in “global weirding” Past episode with John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: A True Story from A Hotter World Past episode with Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer at UN-Habitat about designing cities to face extreme heat Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Matthew Griffin, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Vaillant, Journalist & Author, discusses the threat of fire disasters as the world experiences hotter and drier conditions.

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Wildfire smoke has marred the Front Range in recent weeks, due to Megafires that are likely to become more frequent.  And more smoke is likely. Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Starts 00:00) Beth Bennett speaks with author John Vaillant about the Canadian firestorm that forced 100,000 people to run for their … Continue reading "Wildfires & Smokey Skies"

With the recent devastation in Jasper, Alberta, we wanted to revisit this episode we recorded back in April with author, John Vaillant, where he explains why wildfires have become more common, and much harder to fight. We hope you find it informative, and our hearts go out to all those affected by the current fires. ----------------------------------------------------------ORIGINAL SHOW NOTESToday, evacuation alerts for several communities in BC and Alberta are in effect. You may not have noticed, because there are always evacuation alerts in effect now, and there are always fires burning, some of them out of control. When the whole country takes notice is when the skies over entire provinces go dark, the air turns bad or a blaze like the Fort McMurray fire in 2016 blitzes through a city.All of that will probably happen this year. The conditions are ripe for it, and there's not much we can do to prevent a devastating fire when it comes. But we can evolve our strategies as the fires get bigger. We can adapt. But...will we?GUEST: John Vaillant, author, Fire Weather: The making of a beast We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or by calling 416-935-5935 and leaving us a voicemailOr @thebigstoryfpn on Twitter

John Vaillant's book “Fire Weather” chronicles a devastating wildfire that struck Fort McMurray, Alberta in May 2016. It forced more than 85,000 people to flee their homes, inflicted billions of dollars in damage to the Canadian oil industry and continues to serve as a warning in our increasingly flammable world. Vaillant lays out the linked histories of North America's fossil fuel industry and its rapidly changing climate – with sidebars that explain the science behind petroleum products, recap two centuries of industrial development and explore the economic and environmental tensions in modern oil boom towns. We'll speak with Vaillant about the lessons that fire-prone regions, including California, can learn from the devastation of Fort McMurray. And we'll hear from you: Has your sense of fire awareness changed over time? How so? Guests: John Vaillant, journalist; author, "Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World," which was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist. His other books include "The Tiger" and "The Golden Spruce."

Almost two weeks since the Liberals' shocking loss in a Toronto byelection, the prime minister is still trying to pick up the pieces, amid calls for — at the very least — a national caucus meeting. Two veteran journalists break down how the PMO has responded and where Trudeau might go from here.Then — U.S. Ambassador David Cohen sits down with host Catherine Cullen to talk about a few key points in the bilateral relationship, including Canada's controversial digital services tax and its commitments to military spending. He also touches on the mental acuity of President Joe Biden, a man Cohen has known for decades.Finally: John Vaillant's Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, Fire Weather, contemplates the future of a hotter planet. He joins The House to discuss.This episode features the voices of: Susan Delacourt, Toronto StarChristopher Nardi, National PostU.S. Ambassador to Canada David CohenJohn Vaillant, author, Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast

Tune in to the next episode of the Read Smart Podcast, where 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Georgina Godwin, speaks to 2023 winner John Vaillant, social geographer Danny Dorling and writer and award-winning journalist Jennifer Nadel about the crucial topics which are often overlooked by mainstream media. Which topic do you think is neglected most - and why? Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news all year round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

The 2016 fire that encircled the oil-producing town of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate and left billions of dollars in damage in its wake. It was a disaster of record-breaking proportions, but also an inevitable byproduct of mankind's obsession with burning fossil fuels. In this episode, John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: A True Story from A Hotter World, explains how Canada's fossil fuel industry came into being, why its existence made the Fort McMurray disaster more likely, and what our collective obsession with fire means for the future of our species. Explore further: Past episode about the COP28 text and the significance of agreeing to transition off fossil fuels Past episode with Bloomberg Opinion columnist David Fickling about whether the world has reached peak crude oil demand Past episode about how wildfire smoke and air pollution affect your health Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Anna Mazarakis and Alicia Clanton. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Ground Work podcast, Kate sits down with author John Vaillant to begin to tease out some of the themes of his 4 incredible books, 3 works of non-fiction, and one work of fiction. At the recording, John had just been awarded as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World. John and Kate talk about what it means to consume, how we as human animals interact with our environments and resources, and about how we reconcile the cognitive dissonance we experience born into the Petrocene age. It's about the multi-dimensional reckoning we're in right now, as human and geologic time scales merge, and we are thrust into an acceleration of everything we know. A lot of this interview comes down to a sense of urgency many of us are feeling and this one fact: what happens next is not inevitable. John also shares some about his process as a writer and what it means to tell stories at this moment in time. REDMOND REAL SALTMine to Table Salt from Utah, Redmond Real Salt is packed full of 60+ Trace Minerals and is a staple in my kitchen. Find their salt, Re-Lyte Hydration Powder, and so much more here. Use code MINDBODYSOIL_15 for 15% off!redmond.lifeSUNDRIES FARM GARLICHand grown Sundries Farm Garlic is certified disease-free and grown in the volcanic soils of Idaho. With a range of soft and hard-neck varietals the unmatched flavor and big cloves are perfect for both your seed and culinary needs. Pre-order now for shipping in September. sundriesfarm.comSupport the Podcast:SubstackLeave a one-time TipResources Mentioned: Sailing Alone Around the Room by Billy Collins Find John:X: @JohnVaillantFire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter WorldThe Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and GreedThe Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and SurvivalThe Jaguar's Children: A Novel Connect with Kate:Instagramemail: kate@groundworkcollective.com

An unmissable exploration of our rapidly changing relationship with fire and the action we need to take to reckon with an increasingly flammable world.For hundreds of millennia, fire has been a partner in our evolution, shaping culture and civilization. Yet in our age of intensifying climate change, we are seeing its destructive power unleashed in ways never before witnessed by human beings.In the Baillie Gifford prize-winning Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, internationally best-selling author John Vaillant delves into the intertwined histories of the oil industry and climate science, the unprecedented devastation wrought by modern wildfires, and the lives forever changed by these disasters.Join award-winning authors John Vaillant and Gaia Vince to examine the devastating effects of fossil-fuelled climate warming, and to ask: what does ever more flammable world mean for the future of life on Earth?#RSAclimateBecome an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/udI9xDonate to The RSA: https://utm.guru/udNNBFollow RSA Events on Instagram: https://instagram.com/rsa_events/Follow the RSA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSAEventsLike RSA Events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rsaeventsofficialListen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYUJoin our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

John Vaillant details the terrifying growth and destructive force of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire in his award-winning book, Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. He unpacks how fire made humans who we are — and how humans are changing fire. Vaillant says we're changing the climate "in a way that favours fire way more than it favours us."

An interview with John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather. The book offers a terrifying account of a colossal wildfire and an exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind.

When Julia Duffy is not filming something to entertain and delight you, chances are she's reading a book. It's generally non-fiction, often historical, and in one notable recent case, it was all about a tiger. Don't worry, there isn't enough action in her detailed descriptions of these books to keep you awake at night. It's more like Julia, who starred as Stephanie on Newhart and as Mary Jones Davidsoul on Palm Royale, is doing your bedtime reading for you, so you can just shut your eyes and drift away for the evening. Julia even matches John Moe's mellow dulcet tones to get you extra tuckered out.The book Julia discusses is The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant.Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you'd like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber?Email us at:  sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org.Follow the Show on:Instagram @sleepwcelebsTwitter @SleepWithCelebsTikTok @SleepWithCelebsJohn is on Twitter @johnmoe.John's acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback.Join | Maximum FunIf you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you're the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

What to do about a world that's on fire all the time? Texas is facing the biggest wildfire in state history, Alberta has declared the start of wildfire season earlier than usual, and zombie fires are burning in B.C. John Vaillant has written about a future where "fire weather" is the only weather in a warming world; he says Canada needs to prepare. Then, we hear how Metis citizens and firefighters in Alberta are getting their communities and the forests ready for what this year's season could bring.

Today I delve into some of the questions and meanings we can consider when more desert animals cross our path. I'd forgotten about javelina and coyote as I recorded the previous episode, so decided to add them in here. Javelina showed up for me last week in southern Arizona while I was driving at night: a family of four curiously investigating part of the desert. In a curious twist of fate, the day I recorded the episode, coyotes showed up multiple times both before and after. One place was in the book I finished that morning, about a tree in Haida Gwaii entitled The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant (highly recommend). One telling of that tree can be found here on the Haida Tourism site. Thank you for listening! You can connect with me at cactusmoose@protonmail.com or @cactusmoose on Instagram with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the time you spend in nature. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wisdomofthewilderness/message

In this episode, we had a chance to sit down with author John Vaillant, who recently published a new book about the 2016 Fort McMurray fires in Northern Alberta. The book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, is an in-depth exploration of the fires, which released in June 2023. We not only spoke about his reporting process in the aftermath of a catastrophic wildfire, but we also touched on some of the book's major themes and how these were, in many cases, paralleled by the 2023 fire season in Canada. We even did some deep diving into the oil and gas industry's role in increasingly catastrophic fire seasons, about climate change and how we keep having unprecedented fire seasons—but our processes and protocols aren't catching up with how extreme conditions and fire behavior have become in some cases. We also highly recommend  Fire Weather for those who haven't read it yet. You can pick it up from my favorite local bookstore, Village Books, here. Timestamps: 06:00 - Introduction08:14 - 2016's Alberta Fire Warning of the Future09:42 - John's Thoughts on the 2023 Fire Season12:28 - The Shifting Baseline for Fire Fighting Efforts16:55 - Weather Conditions Affect How Fire Behaves19:26 - People's Humanity Makes Evacuation Efforts Possible23:40 - Humanizing the Evacuation Process25:01 - Interviewing Evacuees28:18 - This Evacuation Changed Everyone's Lives Forever29:34 - The Oil and Gas Industry Connection to Wildfire31:56 - Humans are a Fire Species35:32 - Society's Wealth Comes From Fire37:38 - Gaps in Conversation Surrounding Wildfires40:11 - We Have to Rethink Our Relationship With Fire42:39 - John's Lessons Learned44:12 - Houses Are Made From Petroleum Products46:49 - Firefighting 90s Style Will Not Help Us48:40 - No Precedent for Recent Fire Events51:40 - This Requires a Nuanced Conversation53:45 - Outro

Cultural revolution memories, European resistance in occupied Poland and France and early attempts to establish trade with Mughal leaders in India are the topics explored in prize winning history books. Rana Mitter talks to authors Tania Branigan, Halik Kochanski and Nandini Das about digging in the archives and seeking out interviewees to help shape our understanding of these different periods in world history. Plus prize winning science books by John Vaillant, who considers the incredible power of fire as it consumes a city in Alberta built on the extraction of fossil fuels, and Ed Yong who reveals the extrodinary range of senses which humans don't have, but other animals do, from navigating using smell to the ability to detect electromagnetic waves.Tania Branigan is the 2023 winner of the Cundill History Prize for Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution Nandini Das is the 2023 winner of the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding for Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire Halik Kochanski won the Wolfson History Prize 2023 with her book Resistance: The Underground War in Europe, 1939–1945 John Vaillant won the 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize for non fiction for his book Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World Ed Yong was the winner of the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize for An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around UsProducer: Julian SiddleYou can hear more from Nandini Das talking to Rana alongside Peter Frankopan, author of The Earth Transformed: An Untold History in a Free Thinking episode called Climate change and empire building You can hear more from Halik Kolchanski in the interviews Rana recorded with all six finalists for the 2023 Wolfson prize

John Vaillant's book “Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World” takes readers to the petroleum boomtown of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, in May 2016, when a wildfire that started in the surrounding boreal forest grew faster than expected and tore through the city, destroying entire neighborhoods in a rampage that lasted for days.On this week's episode, Vaillant (whose book was one of our 10 Best for 2023) calls it a “bellwether,” and tells the host Gilbert Cruz how he decided to put the fire itself at the center of his story rather than choosing a human character to lead his audience through the narrative.“It was a bit of a leap," he says. "It was a risk. But it also felt like, given the role that fire is increasingly playing in our world now, it really deserved to be focused on, on its own merit, from its own point of view, if you will.”

Hello to you listening in Spokane, Washington!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.“I will tell you something about stories, he saidThey aren't just entertainment.Don't be fooled.They are all we have, you see,all we have to fight offillness and death.”   ~ Leslie Marmon Silko, Haida Ceremony [The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant, p. 145]Haida NationI may be an old fashioned storyteller clinging to the oral tradition, especially when working with your narratives that function as origin stories, creation myths, messages of all kinds to be seen, heard, understood, repeated and followed, as well as cautions for the young and memories for the elders. Why do I insist on the music of the spoken word? Because that's where the magic happens: at the intersection of the story, the listener, and the teller's voice with its cadence, tone, inflection, repetition, pacing, and energy.So much gets lost in translation to the printed page. What we yearn for without even knowing it is human connection. My clients learn how to connect with their stories and with themselves to be in better service to their purpose.Question: What would you like to learn about the power of story? When you're ready I can help.  You're invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, follow, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, and join us next time! Remember to stop by the SOON-TO-BE-IMPROVED website, check out the Services, arrange a Discovery Call, and Opt In to stay current with Diane and Quarter Moon Story Arts and on LinkedIn.  Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 to Present: for credit & attribution Quarter Moon Story Arts

Today's episode features interviews with two authors whose works are 2023 National Book Awards finalists — one fiction, one nonfiction. Both broach the topic of climate realities, though their books take place hundreds of years apart. First, NPR's Scott Simon chats with Hanna Pylväinen about The End of Drum-Time, which opens with a startling earthquake and centers an 1850s community of native Sámi reindeer herders in the Scandinavian Arctic. Then, Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd asks journalist John Vaillant about Fire Weather, which covers the 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Canada.

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, begins this week in Dubai. A new topic on the agenda this year is how wildfires are emerging as a serious health risk not just to those in their immediate vicinity, but even to people thousands of miles away. Last summer, smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted not only as far south as the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, but even across the Atlantic Ocean. We speak with John Vaillant, whose book Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World recounts a 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Canada that dislocated tens of thousands of people and caused billions of dollars in damage. That natural disaster seemed like a terrifying outlier when Vaillant began his reporting, but 2023's unprecedented fire activity suggest that Fort McMurray was merely the shape of things to come. John explains how climate change is making wildfires hotter and harder to contain. Next, we're joined by photojournalist Andria Hautamaki, who observed a “prescribed burn” in Plumas County, California. Andria shares how these kinds of carefully planned, intentionally set fires can be a useful tool for preventing more destructive blazes. Read an excerpt from John's book Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World here, and learn more about John and his other books here. Andria's reporting for her wildfires story from the April/May 2023 issue of Smithsonian was supported by the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. You can learn more about Andria and her work at her website. Andria recommends these resources for anyone seeking more information about prescribed burns: Your state's Natural Resources Conservation Service The Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils The Great Plains Fire Science Exchange, which can help you find Prescribed Burn Associations in your area The National Fire Protection Association, aka Firewise USA The Cooperative Extension of any universities in your region Find prior episodes of our show here. There's More to That is a production of Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions. From the magazine, our team is Chris Klimek, Debra Rosenberg and Brian Wolly. From PRX, our team is Jessica Miller, Adriana Rosas Rivera, Genevieve Sponsler, Terence Bernardo, and Edwin Ochoa. The Executive Producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales. Fact-checking by Stephanie Abramson. Episode artwork by Emily Lankiewicz. Music by APM Music.

How does climate change shape wildfires? That's the question John Vaillant's book "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World" seeks to answer. He joins us to talk about fire and the warming planet. And, the war between Israel and Hamas has become increasingly polarized, leading some to question whether we've lost empathy altogether. Jamil Zaki, a psychologist who's devoted his career to studying empathy, joins us to discuss. Then, the new book "Critical Hits: Writers Play Video Games" features essays about video games from acclaimed writers. Authors and "Critical Hits" editors Carmen Maria Machado and J. Robert Lennon join us.

Carlson reads John Vaillant's intense recreation of a massive fire with controlled urgency. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss the audiobook that unspools the remarkable trajectory of a wildfire that ultimately engulfed one million and a half acres, burned for 15 months, and caused the evacuation of 90,000 residents of the Alberta city of Ft McMurray. The colossal conflagration dubbed “The Beast” began in May 2016, and this audiobook tells in meticulous details the climate change backstory while also describing the impact to the city and its citizens. Ominous, predictive, and frightening. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Vaillant is a renowned writer and journalist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and more, and he's also the author of classic books including "The Tiger" and "The Golden Spruce." His most recent book is "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World," which is a must-read for anyone interested in wildfires, humans' relationship with fire, and the future of fire-related disasters. And you don't have to take my word for it– the book won the 2023 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction and was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. - "Fire Weather" tells the story of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire– a historic and apocalyptic fire that torched the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and spread across nearly 1.5 million acres of forest. With this epic disaster as the focal point, John masterfully weaves in the fascinating histories of fire, the fossil fuel industry, and climate science. He also explores 21st-century wildfires– why they are hotter, more aggressive, and more destructive than anything we've seen before. Whether you're interested in the science of fire and forest health, the fascinating relationship between humans and fire, or you're just looking for a book that you won't be able to put down, I give "Fire Weather" my highest endorsement. - Wildfires are obviously becoming more and more intense and destructive here in the West, so I was excited to chat with John and dig deeper into the history of fire and the outlook for the future. We discussed why he decided to devote many years to writing about this particular wildfire, and how the book's ingenuous structure came to him in a dream. We talk about the similarities between living beings and fire, a fascinating idea known as the Lucretius Problem, some of the story's larger-than-life characters, John's long-term goals for the book, some of his favorite books, and much, much more. - A huge thanks to John for writing such an impactful book and for taking the time to chat with me. I encourage you to pick up a copy of "Fire Weather" as soon as you can, but in the meantime, enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with John Vaillant. --- "Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World" by John Vaillant Sign Up for Ed's Weekly Email: Good News from the American West --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - When John realized he wanted to write about fire 11:15 - The surprising significance of dreams in John's writing 14:15 - How John organizes the information in his head so he can write 19:45 - A brief note on pacing, and the similarities between living beings and fire 30:45 - The Lucretius Problem 35:45 - How John finds the characters for his book 44:15 - How John handles writing about someone in a less-than-flattering light 52:00 - John's goals for his book, Fire Weather 57:30 - John's book recommendations 1:02:15 - John's parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Georgina Godwin sits down with the six authors shortlisted for The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2023: Hannah Barnes, Tania Branigan, Christopher Clark, Jeremy Eichler, Jennifer Homans and John Vaillant. From Branigan's new look into China's Cultural Revolution, told through the personal stories of those who lived through it, to Vaillant's deep dive into the relationship between oil history and climate science, this year's shortlist presents a variety of bold, original and thought-provoking works. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a sustaining member today. For $5 a month, we'll send you an Outside/In baseball cap. The first 250 people to donate during our fall fund drive will also receive a "ginkgo love" sticker.  Support Outside/In today!Earlier this year, our host Nate Hegyi picked a fight with Ryan Zinke. Zinke is the former Interior Secretary under Trump – the guy who rode into office on horseback.  In the midst of an awful few days in June, when Canadian wildfire smoke blanketed the entire east coast, Zinke took to Twitter and argued that the solution was “active forest management.” Nate assumed that was a political code word for more logging, something Republicans have been pushing for years. But instead of firing back, he decided to fact-check his assumptions and study up. Why are Canadian wildfires getting so intense? Is it possible to stop the smoke by logging the boreal forest? And what would Teddy Roosevelt have to say about this?!Featuring Phil Higuera, John Vaillant, Ryan Zinke, and Courtney Shultz. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support.   Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it's free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSCheck out our episode about prescribed burns (10X10: Pine Barrens).The NPS has a good overview of how indigenous fire practices shaped North America.“As Canada reels from wildfire, First Nations hope for larger role” (Al Jazeera) CREDITSHosted, reported and produced by Nate HegyiEdited by Taylor Quimby and Rebecca LavoieOur team also includes Justine Paradis, Jeongyoon Han, and Felix Poon. Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio 

This is a segment of episode 350 of Last Born In The Wilderness, “Fire Weather: The Petrocene & The Making Of A Beast w/ John Vaillant.” Listen to the full episode and read the transcript: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/john-vaillant Purchase a copy of Fire Weather from Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3s9CqHZ Acclaimed author John Vaillant joins me to discuss Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, a masterfully written chronicle of the destructive power of fire in the twenty-first century. John Vaillant's acclaimed, award-winning nonfiction books, The Golden Spruce and The Tiger, were national bestsellers. His debut novel, The Jaguar's Children, was a finalist for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the International Dublin Literary Award. Vaillant has received the Governor General's Literary Award, British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize, and the Pearson Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. He has written for, among others, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and The Walrus. He lives in Vancouver. WEBSITE: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness DONATE: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast SUBSTACK: https://lastborninthewilderness.substack.com BOOK LIST: https://bookshop.org/shop/lastbornpodcast DROP ME A LINE: Call (208) 918-2837 or http://bit.ly/LBWfiledrop EVERYTHING ELSE: https://linktr.ee/patterns.of.behavior

Guest: John ValliantWhile this year's wildfire season in the United States hasn't really picked up steam, the wildfires in Canada have taken over the headlines. Not just because of the extent of the fires, but because of the smoke they are emitting that is wafting into the U.S. and causing some of the worst air quality seen in years. This has been forcing Americans to pay attention to what is happening north of the border and ask questions about these fires, in the past, present and future tense. Today, my guest and I are taking a look at Canada's wildfire past with one of the worst in the country's history at Fort McMurray. Let's welcome author John Vaillant to Weather GeeksSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer and journalist John Vaillant joins Drew and Roth to talk about his newest book, Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. John details the 2016 wildfire that essentially destroyed the city of Fort McMurray, how fire has changed throughout modern history, and how humans attempt to comprehend the future. And we make the best transition ever in podcasting to the Guy of the Week and the Funbag! Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Sponsor- Birddogs, where you can go to birddogs.com/distraction and enter promo code DISTRACTION for a free Yeti style tumbler with your order- Wildgrain, where you can get $30 off the first box plus free Croissants in every box using code DISTRACTION at Wildgrain.com/DISTRACTION Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they'll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

John Vaillant, journalist and author of Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Knopf, 2023), looks at the links between climate change and increasing number of wildfires through the lens of a devastating fire at an oil industry hub in Canada in 2016.

After a blanket of orange smog covered the northeast from wildfires in Canada, how might climate change impact the frequency and intensity of wildfires? On Today's Show:John Vaillant, journalist and author of Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Knopf, 2023), looks at the links between climate change and increasing number of wildfires through the lens of a devastating fire at an oil industry hub in Canada in 2016.

If you've been following the news, you'll know that Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are currently burning. But this area of Canada, located just above the Northeastern U.S., is not one of North America's hot, dry, fire prone areas.