When the Smoke Clears: Stories and Reflections of a Wisconsin Forest Ranger

People are often surprised at the long history of forest fires in Wisconsin. Going all the way back to Peshtigo in 1871, lives have been lost, thousands of homes have burned, and millions of acres have been blackened. And because of that, there have been forest rangers here for a hundred years.

Blair Anderson was one such ranger for over 30 years in the 80s, 90s, and 00s. Here, he sets the story straight on what the life of a forest ranger really is like; working with fire departments, police, district attorneys, and lots and lots of regular folks. Along the way, there is no end to the stories that inevitably come from working with them, many of which he shares here.