The Yellowstone fires of 1988 consumed nearly 800,000 acres—36 percent of the park. In the years following, spectacular wildflowers rose from the ashes and trees rapidly reclaimed the landscape. In this twenty-five-year look back at the fires, author and photographer Jeff Henry recalls not only the summer of 1988, when he witnessed and photographed nearly every aspect of the fires, but also the years since as nature healed the charred landscape. A beautiful book that depicts nature as simultaneously malevolent and beneficent, The Year Yellowstone Burned demonstrates the resilience of one of our continent’s most dynamic ecosystems.

"[Henry’s] description of the fire . . . is dazzling—all these years later and one can almost see and feel the flames. . . . The author’s stunning photographs and the firsthand observations and opinions are the highlights of this book and make it a must-have." - Library Journal, Starred Review

"Although Yellowstone National Park has seen its share of wildfires over the centuries, perhaps none was more disastrous than the one that consumed more than 35 percent of the park’s vast acreage in the summer of 1988. As a veteran Yellowstone guide and firefighter, Henry was on-site during the conflagration, witnessing and photographing much of the damage. In this absorbing retrospective report on the inferno 25 years later, Henry highlights the key events that combined to create 'the perfect firestorm' and offers lessons for preventing a recurrence in Yellowstone and other protected lands. . . . Along with revealing photos and maps, the narrative offers many vivid personal anecdotes, including Henry’s own chilling description of a smoky mushroom cloud during the fire’s early days. National park enthusiasts and everyone interested in environmental matters will find Henry’s account both gripping and informative." - Booklist

"Fascinating as a personal record of nature and of human endeavor. The many spectacular photos alone are well worth a look." - FreshFiction.com