John Vaillant’s nonfiction work, “Fire Weather”, is a remarkable exploration of the impact of CO2 on our planet. The book centers around the devastating Fort McMurray wildfires of May 3, 2016—a day forever etched in the memory of Albertans due to the sheer scale of displacement and destruction. The largest fire in Alberta’s history wasn’t an act of God but rather the result of generations of ignorance about how human needs for oil created a monster.

Vaillant skillfully examines the consequences of human activity on rising CO2 levels, which in turn lead to increasingly catastrophic weather events, including wildfires. At times, you almost forget that the book is based on true accounts of the Fort McMurray wildfire because the stories are so extraordinary it’s hard to believe people endured such a tragedy. Sadly, this calamity is becoming more common as we continue to exploit our planet.

This book is so impactful and informative that I have too many annotations to share in one post, but here are a few highlights: