Fire on the Mountain

The True Story of the South Canyon Fire

By: John N. MacLean

Narrated by: John N. MacLean

Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

On the morning of July 3, 1994, the site of a forest fire on Storm King Mountain in Colorado was wrongly recorded by the district's Bureau of Land Management office as taking place in South Canyon, thereby mislabeling forever one of the greatest tragedies in the annals of firefighting. That seemingly small human error foreshadowed the numerous other minor errors that, three days later, would be compounded into the deaths of 14 firefighters, four of them women. In this dramatic reconstruction of the disaster and its aftermath, John N. MacLean tells the heroic and cautionary story of people who were experts in their field but became the victims of nature at its most unforgiving.

©1999 John N. MacLean, All Rights Reserved (P)1999 Simon & Schuster Inc., All Rights Reserved

Worthy listen for everyone

I feel no need to describe the book - its description covers it. It's suitable for anyone over the age of 12 or so. (A mature 12; Death and dead bodies are, obviously, discussed, but not in a gruesome or highly-detailed way.) It can be read by anyone - a background in firefighting or wildfires isn't necessary, as there aren't a bunch of acronyms or such used, and wildfire-specific tools and jobs are explained.

My sole dislike of this book is that it's abridged. But I've since gotten the unabridged version, and have to admit it's a well-done abridgement. Nothing important to the average reader was cut - mostly just administrative minutiae, some history, and the like. That said, those with wildfire background would do better to get the unabridged version, as some of what's cut is important to lessons learned re: fighting fires and how disasters like this are studied.

Also, while most audiobook fans know "read by the author" is usually a sign to "run away!" or at least get the book in paper, that is *not* the case here. Mr. McLean has a smooth, well-timbred, voice suited for reading aloud. He can be a tad monotone, but this isn't a book that calls for emoting so that works. It's a book to make you think and reflect and learn. It's what introduced me to wildfires and wildfire disasters. Go read it - you won't regret it!

Great book!

Provides a great narrative for the tragedy at Storm King. Would recommend to all firefighters!

Essential for all WLFFs

The narration was good, although a bit stilted at times. I understood the story because I have studied the event, through watching videos (Lessons Learned Center), reading the Fire Behavior Report, and I'll be going to the site in a few days. However, I feel it would have been much more comprehensive and useful with a downloadable map and pictures. Particularly for folks who aren't familiar with the wildland fire community. As for the story itself, I found it heart-wrenching. I went through a simulation - a mock burnout, and as I ran, I thought of those firefighters. It was terrifying. I'm thankful that others took this tragedy and used it as a impetus for change. I hope the public at large begins to speak up, because fire behavior is becoming more unpredictable. Unprecedented blowups and other issues, such as continued problems within the structure of fire operations, threaten the safety of the folks on the ground. We must collectively realize the importance of preventative measures to mitigate the risks, and educate people on the benefits and dangers of fire. With Yarnell on our heels, there must be a push for change, both within the Interagency program and with the views and attitudes of the public. John Maclean's books are a public service.

MUST READ/LISTEN!!

this is a true story sad but good it gets dull in places and a little monotone but it's a great story

Enjoyed it, but at times a sad indictment of our society.

I enjoyed the story, but was outraged by the suggestion that some people didn't know what was more important - human lives or property. Anyone that doesn't inherently know that a single human life is worth more than any amount of property is a freaking sociopath! The way it was presented in the story made it sound like it was a question that wasn't immediately clear to people. I struggle to understand how that could be the case.

Invaluable Resource

As a rookie WLFF heading out West, I found this incredibly informative and explanatory. The lessons taught are priceless.

Insightful and Heartbreaking

Overall well written book! The statement hindsight is 20-20 comes to mind, listening to this book, as a wildland firefighter, red flags went up everywhere, but it's all hindsight. It is heartbreaking knowing the hell that these brothers and sisters went through. The author brings you personally close to each firefighter lost.

Interesting & Well Documented

Interesting story about leadership, organizational dynamics, and individual courage under the stress of an life threatening fire.

Dry voice but a great book

Voice is hard at first but his convictions for the fire service shows in tone. This is not heart warming as a book

U.S. F.S. Learned NOTHING from The Mann Gulch Fire

Where does Fire on the Mountain rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

TOP 5%!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fire on the Mountain?

This is the heartbreaking TRUE story of how the USFS will not/cannot learn from past mistakes it has already made and seemingly is committed to amking AGAIN & AGAIN! After all it is only the Smoke Jumpers and the HOT SHOTS who die! If you read Norman MacLeans'd :Young Men and Fire: and John MacLean's "Fire on the Mountain" I don't know how you could ever allow your children/friends/self to work a wild-land fire for the Federal Government. The TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM of the Federal Agencies involved have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS and seem indifferent to fixing ANY or even ONE of their many failures of BOTH LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT. It would be Catch 22 funny, if not for all the DEAD BODIES!!!!

Which character – as performed by John N. MacLean – was your favorite?

Mr. MacLeans's clinical and dispassionate reading of his own tight, clean prose gives a tragic and lyrical sense of the CLASSICS to this story-rasing the deaths opf these wonderful young people to level of a GREEK TRADEGY. His voice gives you a deep sense of the futility of attempting to change these failed federal agencies and their even worse policies.

If you could give Fire on the Mountain a new subtitle, what would it be?

Federal Fire Policy Failures from Mann Gulch to Storm King.

Any additional comments?

This is a MUST READ for NOT just every family member of the SMOKE JUMPERS and HOT SHOTS->but for all citizens of the true AMERICAN WEST who are constantly tortured by their distant and dereanged federal government-which neither understands nor care about the folks who populate "fly-over" country. These two EPIC FAILS speak to federal government that id both unwilling and incapable of changing to PROTECT the citizens of the remaining American West. Every current citizen of Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Alaska could read this book and say: "I know of 20 other massive mistakes the feds made as reagrds this or that policy....

This book is just one more proff that the DEPT of AGRICULTURE and the DEPT of Interior should be abolished!