About Fires

A Newsletter Exploring The Many Narratives of Fire

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." -Aldo Leopold

A Former Wildland Firefighter Reports

Fires is a newsletter about how wildland fires historically occurred in the United States, how they were interrupted, and what it has cost us. It’s grounded in history, fire science, and the importance of including marginalized voices and perspectives. I’ll explore how settlers arrived in California and the eschewing of vital Indigenous fire practices; the flip-flopping of policy throughout the 20th Century; the cheatgrass takeover of the Great Basin; land and property development in known fire-risk areas and the epidemics that have killed trees across the United States, amongst many other themes and subjects.

I began working as a wildland firefighter in the year 2000. My first fire was the Viveash Fire, which exploded shortly after the historic, policy-changing Cerro Grande Fire, in New Mexico. I spent two years working on a contract crew out of Oregon, four years working on various hotshot crews, and one year working for the Park Service in the wilderness of Alaska. My experiences as a firefighter covered a wide geographical area.

Understanding the history of wildland fire in America is essential to grasping our current, chaotic state of fire. The complexity of wildland fire policy echoes many of the issues we face with climate change and environmental preservation.

In this newsletter I share what I’ve learned about how fire suppression came to be the norm, and why things are shifting towards something new. This includes the history of the Forest Service and other fire agencies, policy-making, the involvement of non-profits such as The Nature Conservancy, the history of Indigenous fire practices and their current rebirthing, the progression of land development and culpability of city officials and developers, and reportage on the culture of wildland fire, including its (sometimes) hostile environment to women and minorities.

I’ll also write about subjects tangentially connected to wildland fire, such as the concept of "wilderness,” the development of forestry, ecosystems and their functions, land exploitation, the assumption that the United States, prior to European, Spanish, and French settlement, was “wild,” the National Parks system, and the misplaced idea that firefighters are meant to be the sole protectors of land. There’s so much to explore. Many of my explorations seek possible solutions and highlight people and organizations working towards positive change.

You’ll also be exposed to wildland fire and environmental writing. I’ll share what I’m reading and where I find my information. Most importantly, you’ll be informed when the next fire season comes, which could be any minute now. This newsletter isn’t solely for people living in the fire-prone west and southeast, but for everyone. As climate change accelerates, we will all be exposed to wildland fires, and it’s essential that we are informed and educated. Our communities, working together, can have a profound impact on fire policy. I’ll show you how small communities throughout the United States are both working with local fire and protecting themselves from megafires.

About Stasi

Fires is written by me, Stasi Selby. I grew up in a single-parent household and had an unstable adolescence, which led me to begin working as a wildland firefighter at age nineteen. The job gave me some stability and tested my physical and mental endurance. I loved it, although not all my experiences were positive.

My diverse background has molded me as a writer: I want to find the truth. Without it, those in power can continue to influence policy and extract money from our land and lives, filling their pockets while ecological systems are destroyed and those living in poverty are exploited.

I was 32 when I finally made my way to University, where I graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse. Throughout college, I worked 30 hours a week as a nanny, waitress, and literacy tutor. I then attended the MFA program at Syracuse University, graduating in 2018. My work has been published in Vox, Allure, Autostraddle, Lady Science, Vice, Dame, Tricycle Magazine, and Bitch. I am currently writing a book about my experiences as a hotshot and many of the subjects explored in this newsletter.

In the meantime, tell your friends!