If a spark catches a tree branch when no one is around, do the burning leaves still make a crackling sound? In this illuminating volume, readers will learn about science and safety as they discover the ten deadliest wildfires of the past few centuries and their origins. Photographs of heroic firefighters, ferocious flames, and disastrous aftermaths will captivate even reluctant readers, while thought-provoking questions about global warming’s relationship to wildfires will inspire readers to engage in thinking critically about what they’ve learned.
This eBook examines and ranks the 10 worst wildfires in American history. It provides a brief overview of each fire, followed by a discussion of their overall impact.
If a spark catches a tree branch when no one is around, do the burning leaves still make a crackling sound? In this illuminating volume, readers will learn about science and safety as they discover the ten deadliest wildfires of the past few centuries and their origins. Photographs of heroic firefighters, ferocious flames, and disastrous aftermaths will captivate even reluctant readers, while thought-provoking questions about global warming’s relationship to wildfires will inspire readers to engage in thinking critically about what they’ve learned.
From colonial times to the modern day, two things have remained constant in American history: the destructive power of fires and the bravery of those who fight them. Fighting Fire! brings to life ten of the deadliest infernos this nation has ever endured: the great fires of Boston, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco, the disasters of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the General Slocum, and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, the wildfire of Witch Creek in San Diego County, and the catastrophe of 9/11. Each blaze led to new firefighting techniques and technologies, yet the struggle against fires continues to this day. With historical images and a fast-paced text, this is both an exciting look at firefighting history and a celebration of the human spirit.
Katrina, Nina, Mitch, and Camille – these deadly hurricanes earned their names through monstrous devastation. This versatile volume gives readers a comprehensive understanding of the science behind hurricanes, how we categorize their high-speed winds, and how we measure the scale of their destruction. Photographs of the ten most catastrophic hurricanes since the 19th century will amaze readers while simultaneously demonstrating connections between STEM, geography, and history curricula. An informative map shows where these catastrophic hurricanes occurred, and critical thinking questions allow readers to assess their understanding of the topic.
Volcanic activity reduced Pompeii to ashes, but the Mount Vesuvius eruption is only the seventh most destructive volcanic eruption out of the top ten in human history! This fiery volume covers all ten natural disasters with mesmerizing photographs and visuals of these natural phenomena. A helpful map shows the location of each historical eruption, and critical thinking questions allow readers to test their new knowledge. Even reluctant readers will want to explore this high-interest topic, making this book an essential for any STEM, geography, or history library.
Oceans sustain our globe, but they can also act as powerful tyrants of destruction. This volume provides an in-depth study of the ten most devastating tsunamis, exploring humanity’s historical relationship with these epic forces of nature. Photographs and visuals of these aquatic disasters will captivate all readers as they learn the science behind the storms. This versatile text introduces readers to maps and challenges critical thinking skills with dynamic questions. The multi-subject nature of this volume and its high-interest topic will attract readers in any academic setting.
Human society has adapted to environments across the globe, but sometimes nature still shakes up our world. Readers will investigate the science behind earthquakes as they count down the ten most catastrophic quakes in human history. Dramatic photographs will engage all readers, and the information-rich text smoothly incorporates STEM, geography, and history curricula. A concluding map pinpoints the location of each deadly quake, and thoughtful questions are included to encourage critical thinking skills. This high-interest, multi-subject volume is essential to any academic library.
Typhoons, monsoons, cyclones, and bursting dams – readers will be transfixed by the floods these monster storms create. Photographs capture these breathtaking phenomena and their devastating effects on human society. This exploration of the ten worst floods humanity has endured will be a key feature in STEM, history, and geography curricula. Readers will delve into scientific explanations for these disasters, gain experience with maps, and ponder critical thinking questions that assess their understanding of this fascinating topic.
National Book Award–winner Timothy Egan turns his historian's eye to the largest-ever forest fire in America and offers an epic, cautionary tale for our time. On the afternoon of August 20, 1910, a battering ram of wind moved through the drought-stricken national forests of Washington, Idaho, and Montana, whipping the hundreds of small blazes burning across the forest floor into a roaring inferno that jumped from treetop to ridge as it raged, destroying towns and timber in the blink of an eye. Forest rangers had assembled nearly ten thousand men to fight the fires, but no living person had seen anything like those flames, and neither the rangers nor anyone else knew how to subdue them. Egan recreates the struggles of the overmatched rangers against the implacable fire with unstoppable dramatic force, and the larger story of outsized president Teddy Roosevelt and his chief forester, Gifford Pinchot, that follows is equally resonant. Pioneering the notion of conservation, Roosevelt and Pinchot did nothing less than create the idea of public land as our national treasure, owned by every citizen. Even as TR's national forests were smoldering they were saved: The heroism shown by his rangers turned public opinion permanently in favor of the forests, though it changed the mission of the forest service in ways we can still witness today. This e-book includes a sample chapter of SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER.
