This review of James K. Agee's "Fire Ecology of Pacific Northwest Forests" by James M. Peek highlights the book's comprehensive and well-written account of fire ecology and management in the northwestern United States. The book emphasizes the inevitability and importance of fire in the region, particularly in forests like Sitka spruce, hemlock, and redwood, where fire regimes are longer than in pine forests. Agee discusses the unpredictable effects of fire despite improved prediction methods and the need for tailored fire management strategies. The review notes the book's detailed discussions on plant succession, weather patterns, fire behavior models, and the history of fire management in Washington and Oregon. It also touches on the environmental impacts of fire, including soil chemistry and wildlife habitat changes, though the latter is briefly covered. The book's chapters on the ecology of fire in various forest types are comprehensive, and it addresses the role of fire in air quality and cultural resource preservation. The final chapter delves into adaptive management and policy, advocating for a more definitive classification based on ecosystem characteristics rather than past practices. The review concludes with a sobering discussion on global climate change and the increasing frequency of fires, emphasizing the need for thoughtful and adaptive management of wildlands.This review of James K. Agee's "Fire Ecology of Pacific Northwest Forests" by James M. Peek highlights the book's comprehensive and well-written account of fire ecology and management in the northwestern United States. The book emphasizes the inevitability and importance of fire in the region, particularly in forests like Sitka spruce, hemlock, and redwood, where fire regimes are longer than in pine forests. Agee discusses the unpredictable effects of fire despite improved prediction methods and the need for tailored fire management strategies. The review notes the book's detailed discussions on plant succession, weather patterns, fire behavior models, and the history of fire management in Washington and Oregon. It also touches on the environmental impacts of fire, including soil chemistry and wildlife habitat changes, though the latter is briefly covered. The book's chapters on the ecology of fire in various forest types are comprehensive, and it addresses the role of fire in air quality and cultural resource preservation. The final chapter delves into adaptive management and policy, advocating for a more definitive classification based on ecosystem characteristics rather than past practices. The review concludes with a sobering discussion on global climate change and the increasing frequency of fires, emphasizing the need for thoughtful and adaptive management of wildlands.