From killer fires to ecosystem rehabilitation, an exhaustive survey exploring the ecological, social, and economic consequences of managing fires in United States wildland areas. During the summer of 2000, one of the worst fire seasons on U.S. record, a rash of wildfires scorched 7 million acres in the West, destroying forests, displacing wildlife and resulting in loss of human life and property. How can an element capable of such mass destruction play a vital role in the function of natural ecosystems? Forest Fires: A Reference Handbook explores the historical, ecological, economic, and social dimensions of wildland combustion in North America and its impacts. Explaining how legislation and public perception have been shaped by historic fires and fire seasons, particular emphasis is placed on the summer of 2000 as a way of understanding and managing future fires. Fire management involves protecting natural resources from fire but also using controlled burning for land management purposes. Who are the stewards of land management and the researchers who devote their entire careers studying fire? How are ecosystems restored after major fires? What are the economic ramifications and what assessment tools are available?