WILDFIRE

As Cone makes abundantly clear, the uncontrolled fires—commonly called wildfires—that are frequently in the news are a worldwide phenomenon, occurring in grasslands and forests. It is only recently that people have begun to acknowledge that such fires are not necessarily destructive, but a key factor in the maintaining of a healthy ecosystem. The author covers every aspect of wildfires, the good and the bad, from inception to extinction, and illustrates this well-organized and informative text with dozens of striking full- color photographs of fires and firefighters. Ways of fighting wildfires are clearly described, as are ways to prevent them. This fine entry in the Nature in Action series concludes with a page of facts. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 6-10)