Like many British Columbians in 2017, I found myself glued to the news about the disastrous wildfires across the province. My worry was personal: my cabin at Sheridan Lake had been in our family for sixty years and was now in danger.

I was struck not just by my own experience, but by the many moving stories I came across about the fires–so I began collecting them. I met with people from the affected communities, in order to be a conduit for the voices I heard–for those who fought the fires raging around them, those who were evacuated and displaced, and thous who could do nothing but watch as their homes burned. I conducted overy fifty hours of interviews with ranchers cottagers, Indigenous residents, RCMP officers, evacuees, store and rresort owners, search and resucue volunteers, firefighters, and local government officials.

Presented in British Columbia in Flames are stories that illustrate the importance of community. People looked after strangers who had no place to go. They shared information. They helped each other resue and shelter animals. They kept stores open day and night to supply gas, food and comfort to evacuees, This memoir, both journalistic and deeply personal, highlights the strength with which BC communities can and will come together to face a terrifying force of nature.

British Columbia in Flames was published by Harbour Publishing. Books are available from Harbour Publishing, Indigo Books, and Amazon. Different formats are available.