‘Breathing Fire’ Reports on the Women Fighting California’s Wildfires

In her new book, journalist Jaime Lowe details the harrowing experiences of incarcerated firefighters on the frontlines of this dangerous fight.

Source – Website: Shondaland

https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a37134938/breathing-fire-reports-on-the-women-fighting-californias-wildfires/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20August%202%2C%202021&utm_term=lithub_master_list

When journalist Jaime Lowe (Mental, Digging for Dirt) opened the Los Angeles Times in February 2016, she read a story that shook her. Sandwiched between the other horrors of the day was an article about a woman, Shawna Jones, who died while fighting a wildfire outside L.A. She had been part of a crew of incarcerated women who were on the frontlines of firefighting in the state of California. Lowe, a reporter who frequently contributes to The New York Times Magazine, among other publications, felt compelled to dig further into Shawna’s story.

What she found is now a new book called Breathing Fire: Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires. The book details Lowe’s experiences at what are called conservation camps, where the incarcerated firefighters live and from which they protect the wealthy and fire-prone state of California for less than $1 an hour. It also provides important context about the state’s prejudiced foundations, incarcerated labor, and the individual lives of the people Lowe interacted with in the camps.

Read the full article at the link above