Download or read book Flame and Fortune in the American West written by Gregory Simon and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flame and Fortune in the American West creatively and meticulously investigates the ongoing politics, folly, and avarice shaping the production of increasingly widespread yet dangerous suburban and exurban landscapes. The 1991 Oakland Hills Tunnel Fire is used as a starting point to better understand these complex social-environmental processes. The Tunnel Fire is the most destructive fire—in terms of structures lost—in California history. More than 3,000 residential structures burned and 25 lives were lost. Although this fire occurred in Oakland and Berkeley, others like it sear through landscapes in California and the American West that have experienced urban growth and development within areas historically prone to fire. Simon skillfully blends techniques from environmental history, political ecology, and science studies to closely examine the Tunnel Fire within a broader historical and spatial context of regional economic development and natural-resource management, such as the widespread planting of eucalyptus trees as an exotic lure for homeowners and the creation of hillside neighborhoods for tax revenue—decisions that produced communities with increased vulnerability to fire. Simon demonstrates how in Oakland a drive for affluence led to a state of vulnerability for rich and poor alike that has only been exacerbated by the rebuilding of neighborhoods after the fire. Despite these troubling trends, Flame and Fortune in the American West illustrates how many popular and scientific debates on fire limit the scope and efficacy of policy responses. These risky yet profitable developments (what the author refers to as the Incendiary), as well as proposed strategies for challenging them, are discussed in the context of urbanizing areas around the American West and hold global applicability within hazard-prone areas.
Download or read book Towers of Gold written by Frances Dinkelspiel and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2010-01-05 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Isaias Hellman, a Jewish immigrant, arrived in California in 1859 with very little money in his pocket and his brother Herman by his side. By the time he died, he had effectively transformed Los Angeles into the modern metropolis we see today. In Frances Dinkelspiel's groundbreaking history, the early days of California are seen through the life of a man who started out as a simple store owner only to become California's premier money-man of the late 19th and early 20th century. Growing up as a young immigrant, Hellman quickly learned the use to which "capital" could be put, founding LA's Farmers and Merchants Bank, that city's first successful bank, and transforming Wells Fargo into one of the West's biggest financial institutions. He invested money with Henry Huntington to build trolley lines, lent Edward Doheney the funds that led him to discover California's huge oil reserves, and assisted Harrison Gary Otis in acquiring full ownership of the Los Angeles Times. Hellman led the building of Los Angeles' first synagogue, the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, helped start the University of Southern California and served as Regent of the University of California. His influence, however, was not limited to Los Angeles. He controlled the California wine industry for almost twenty years and, after San Francisco's devastating 1906 earthquake and fire, calmed the financial markets there in order to help that great city rise from the ashes. With all of these accomplishments, Isaias Hellman almost single-handedly brought California into modernity. Ripe with great historical events that filled the early days of California such as the Gold Rush and the San Francisco earthquake, Towers of Gold brings to life the transformation of California from a frontier society whose economy was driven by the barter of hides and exchange of gold dust into a vibrant state with the strongest economy in the nation.
Download or read book The East Bay Hills Fire Oakland Berkley California written by and published by FEMA. This book was released on with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book 1991 written by Richard Misrach and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pictures of suburban landscapes with remains of burned homes destroyed by the Oakland-Berkeley fire.
Download or read book Managing Fire in the Urban Wildland Interface written by Kenneth S. Blonski and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique guide to solutions and strategies for managing fire at the urban edge. Offers analytical tools and comprehensive summaries not found in other manuals dealing with fire mitigation. Designed as a reference, it provides information on codes and laws, and includes case studies, tables, figures, suggested websites, and other source material. Draws on best practices from California, with lessons applicable nationwide. Equally useful to state, federal, and local agency staff and officials, fire agency staff, attorneys, architects, landscape architects, property owners, developers, insurance company managers, and business and community leaders.
Download or read book Secret Stairs East Bay written by Charles Fleming and published by Santa Monica Press. This book was released on 2011-05-01 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revised and Updated in September 2020! The hills of the East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California—more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases lattice up and down the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone. Rising high above the city centers, with towering views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco itself, these elegant civic walking trails—many of them shaded in oaks and redwoods, and many unknown even to local residents—present a unique landscape for both the casual walker and dedicated hiker. Charles Fleming, the Southern California author whose bestselling 2010 walking guide Secret Stairs turned the hidden public staircases of Los Angeles into popular hiking trails, now turns his eyes northward. For Secret Stairs: East Bay, Fleming has designed more than 30 individual hiking loops. Linking multiple staircases into one-to two-hour self-guided strolls, these urban treks will delight the tourist, newly arrived Berkeley undergraduate, and veteran Bay Area resident alike. The circular walks, each calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration—and each accompanied by a detailed, easy-to-follow map—are sprinkled with fascinating facts about the historic staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Walk the walks of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir! Climb Berkeley’s massive Fred Herbert and Tamalpais Paths, hike Easter Way, and summit Sunset Trail! Mount Oakland’s Oakmore stairs, then tackle the hills of Upper Rockridge and Crocker Highlands via the public staircases. And do it all within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and excellent Bay Area cafés.
Download or read book The Fox and the Forest Fire written by Danny Popovici and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2021-08-24 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A story of hope and friendship, in which resilience trumps tragedy in the wake of a forest fire. After moving from the city, one boy discovers his new home in the woods isn't so bad—there is friendship in the midst of the forest. But when he spots a fire on the horizon that soon engulfs everything he's come to know—the bugs, the plants, the fox who keeps him company—he is forced to flee. When his newfound comfort goes up in smoke, how can he ever feel at home again? In a forest fire, so much can change in an instant. But both fox and boy learn that there are some things fire cannot burn. With time, the forest will regrow, the animals will return to their home, and so will the boy and his mom. As we all search for tools for understanding the destruction of forest fires, this touching story shows that hope, friendship, and resilience shine the brightest. TIMELY: As fires rage over a wider swath of the United States and internationally, and as fire season lengthens year after year, and sets new records year after year, these are themes communities are engaging with daily during fire season. WRITTEN BY A FIREFIGHTER: The author-illustrator was a volunteer firefighter, giving him a unique perspective on the topic of forest fires. EMOTIONALLY RESONANT: This moving story ends with rebuilding—both for humans and for nature—and with a truly uplifting message of resilience. COMMUNITY-BUILDING: A wonderful resource for families and communities experiencing the aftermath of a fire or other natural disasters, as well as anyone looking to empathize with, and better understand, those communities in need. CLASSROOM RESOURCE: Not only is this the perfect resource for talking about topics like the environment, natural disasters, forest management, and emergency preparedness, this book will also spark important conversations about coping with personal and community tragedies. The author-illustrator reflects on his own experiences with forest fires in the autho's note, and backmatter provides additional context. Perfect for: Parents, Educators, Nature lovers
Download or read book There Was A Fire Here written by Risa Nye and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Less than a month before her 40th birthday, a devastating firestorm destroys Risa Nye’s home and neighborhood in Oakland, California. Already mourning the perceived loss of her youth, she now must face the loss of all tangible reminders of who she was before. There Was a Fire Here is the story of how Nye adjusts to the turning point that will forever mark the “before and after” in her life—and a chronicle of her attempts to honor the lost symbols of her past even as she struggles to create a new home for her family.
Download or read book The Simple Home written by Charles Keeler and published by . This book was released on 1904 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Fire in California s Ecosystems written by Jan W. van Wagtendonk and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2018-06-08 with total page 567 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fire in California’s Ecosystems describes fire in detail—both as an integral natural process in the California landscape and as a growing threat to urban and suburban developments in the state. Written by many of the foremost authorities on the subject, this comprehensive volume is an ideal authoritative reference tool and the foremost synthesis of knowledge on the science, ecology, and management of fire in California. Part One introduces the basics of fire ecology, including overviews of historical fires, vegetation, climate, weather, fire as a physical and ecological process, and fire regimes, and reviews the interactions between fire and the physical, plant, and animal components of the environment. Part Two explores the history and ecology of fire in each of California's nine bioregions. Part Three examines fire management in California during Native American and post-Euro-American settlement and also current issues related to fire policy such as fuel management, watershed management, air quality, invasive plant species, at-risk species, climate change, social dynamics, and the future of fire management. This edition includes critical scientific and management updates and four new chapters on fire weather, fire regimes, climate change, and social dynamics.
Download or read book Hazard Mitigation Report for the East Bay Fire in the Oakland Berkeley Hills written by United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Region IX. and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The 57 Bus written by Dashka Slater and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). This book was released on 2017-10-17 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The riveting New York Times bestseller and Stonewall Book Award winner that will make you rethink all you know about race, class, gender, crime, and punishment. Artfully, compassionately, and expertly told, Dashka Slater's The 57 Bus is a must-read nonfiction book for teens that chronicles the true story of an agender teen who was set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in Oakland, California. Two ends of the same line. Two sides of the same crime. If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a Black teen, lived in the economically challenged flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight. But in The 57 Bus, award-winning journalist Dashka Slater shows that what might at first seem like a simple matter of right and wrong, justice and injustice, victim and criminal, is something more complicated—and far more heartbreaking. Awards and Accolades for The 57 Bus: A New York Times Bestseller Stonewall Book Award Winner YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Nonfiction Honor Book Winner A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist Don’t miss Dashka Slater’s newest propulsive and thought-provoking nonfiction book, Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed, which National Book Award winner Ibram X. Kendi hails as “powerful, timely, and delicately written.”
Download or read book Working Fire written by Zac Unger and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-02-22 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zac Unger didn’t feel like much of a fireman at first. Most of his fellow recruits seemed to have planned for the job all their lives; he was an Ivy League grad responding to an ad at a bus stop. He couldn’t keep his boots shined, and he looked terrible in his uniform. Working Fire is the story of how, from this unlikely beginning, Zac Unger came to feel at home among this close-knit tribe, came to master his work’s demands, and came to know what it is to see the world through a firefighter’s eyes. From the raw material of his days’ work—alarm calls both harrowing and hilarious, moments of triumph and grief—Unger has forged a timeless story of finding one’s path, and a rousing adventure about the bravery and sacrifice of everyday heroes. On the web: http://www.zacunger.com
Download or read book Fire Monks written by Colleen Morton Busch and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-07-07 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The "vivid" and "electrifying" true story of how five monks saved the oldest Zen Buddhist monastery in the United States from wildfire (San Francisco Chronicle). When a massive wildfire surrounded Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, five monks risked their lives to save it. A gripping narrative as well as a portrait of the Zen path and the ways of wildfire, Fire Monks reveals what it means to meet a crisis with full presence of mind. Zen master and author of the classic Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi established a monastery at Tassajara Hot Springs in 1967, drawn to the location's beauty, peace, and seclusion. Deep in the wilderness east of Big Sur, the center is connected to the outside world by a single unpaved road. The remoteness that makes it an oasis also makes it particularly vulnerable when disaster strikes. If fire entered the canyon, there would be no escape. More than two thousand wildfires, all started by a single lightning storm, blazed across the state of California in June 2008. With resources stretched thin, firefighters advised residents at Tassajara to evacuate early. Most did. A small crew stayed behind, preparing to protect the monastery when the fire arrived. But nothing could have prepared them for what came next. A treacherous shift in weather conditions prompted a final order to evacuate everyone, including all firefighters. As they caravanned up the road, five senior monks made the risky decision to turn back. Relying on their Zen training, they were able to remain in the moment and do the seemingly impossible-to greet the fire not as an enemy to defeat, but as a friend to guide. Fire Monks pivots on the kind of moment some seek and some run from, when life and death hang in simultaneous view. Novices in fire but experts in readiness, the Tassajara monks summoned both intuition and wisdom to face crisis with startling clarity. The result is a profound lesson in the art of living.
Download or read book Firescaping written by Douglas Kent and published by Wilderness Press. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your guide to beautiful, fire-resistant landscaping techniques Tens of thousands of wildfires burn across the country every year, destroying millions of acres of land. If you live in fire country, take action. Use firescaping to defend your home against wildfires—while maintaining the beauty of your garden. This unique form of landscaping design keeps your property healthy, clean, and clear. Horticultural expert Douglas Kent shares secrets, tricks, and simple instructions in the new edition of this practical, hands-on guide, recommended by AAA Homeowners Insurance. Find out which landscapes have a high fire risk and why. Get tips on landscaping and maintenance—such as effective watering and brush-clearing techniques—that reduce a property’s fire risk. Learn which plants and building materials are best for reducing damage. Discover how to make your home accessible to firefighters in the event of a wildfire. Homeowners, landscaping professionals, and community fire prevention officials will find Firescaping invaluable. If you live in an area at risk, this book can help to prepare you and give you peace of mind.
Download or read book Prescribed Burning in California Wildlands Vegetation Management written by Harold Biswell and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-11-10 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Harold Biswell's decades of research and field experience were a major factor in developing policies of controlled or prescribed burning, which mimics or reintroduces the natural fire cycle. This comprehensive study introduces the principles and practices of prescribed burning, which apply far beyond California, within a historical and ecological perspective. Available for the first time in paperback, with a new foreword by James Agee, this book places Biswell's study—and his legacy—in the context of recent developments in the field.
Download or read book The Spark Between Us written by Stacy Travis and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-20 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A small town, brother's best friend contemporary romance between a firefighter and a physicist in Livermore, California.
