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

People are often surprised to hear that there are any forest fires in Wisconsin. While they’re not like the ones that draw the news out West, Wisconsin has a long history of destructive forest fires, going all the way back to Peshtigo. And because of that, there are Forest Rangers here. 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.