Fire on Earth

Book excerpt: Earth is the only planet known to have fire. The reason isboth simple and profound: fire exists because Earth is the onlyplanet to possess life as we know it. Fire is an expression of lifeon Earth and an index of life’s history. Few processes are asintegral, unique, or ancient. Fire on Earth puts fire in its rightful place as anintegral part of the study of geology, biology, human history,physics, and global chemistry. Fire is ubiquitous in various formsthroughout Earth, and belongs as part of formal inquiries about ourworld. In recent years fire literature has multipliedexponentially; dedicated journals exist and half a dozeninternational conferences are held annually. A host of formalsciences, or programs announcing interdisciplinary intentions, arewilling to consider fire. Wildfire also appears routinely in mediareporting. This full-colour text, containing over 250 illustrations of firein all contexts, is designed to provide a synthesis of contemporarythinking; bringing together the most powerful concepts anddisciplinary voices to examine, in an international setting, whyplanetary fire exists, how it works, and why it looks the way itdoes today. Students, lecturers, researchers and professionalsinterested in the physical, ecological and historicalcharacteristics of fire will find this book, and accompanyingweb-based material, essential reading for undergraduate andpostgraduate courses in all related disciplines, for generalinterest and for providing an interdisciplinary foundation forfurther study. A comprehensive approach to the history, behaviour andecological effects of fire on earth Timely introduction to this important subject, with relevancefor global climate change, biodiversity loss and the evolution ofhuman culture. Provides a foundation for the interdisciplinary field of FireResearch Authored by an international team of leading experts in thefield Associated website provides additional resources