In The Big Burn, Timothy Egan analyzes events associated with the worst forest fire in American history. In 1910, the “Big Burn” scorched over three million acres in Washington, Montana and parts of Idaho, leaving a thick cloud of smoke that lingered throughout the western U.S. days after the fire was extinguished. Egan argues that the big wildfire “cemented the recently established U.S. Forest Service in the mind of the American public, enabling the agency to enjoy one of the most respected reputations of any federal entity throughout the twentieth century” (Egan 14). However, there were also negative consequences Continue reading...
