Jessica Lawson is the author of the new children's picture book Ablaze: The Story of America's First Female Smokejumper. Her other books include Waiting for Augusta. She lives in Pennsylvania.
Q: What inspired you to write Ablaze, and how did you first learn about smokejumper Deanne Shulman?
A: When I lived in Colorado, my children and I would walk around our small Front Range town and I would always notice the FIRE DANGER sign. Many years during fire season, we had water restrictions and couldn’t do things like have a barbecue grill or a family campfire in the backyard.
The threat of wildfire was always there (in fact, we were packed up to evacuate during the Waldo Canyon fire, but fortunately, it was put out before our family had to leave our home).
Each spring people talked about rainfall and snowpack (the snowpack is the accumulation of snow in the mountains that stays there for a period of time—it affects moisture and water resources during warmer months).
Having worked in the nonprofit grantmaking world with a wildland fire fund, I was familiar with certain types of wildland firefighting—brush trucks and the like. I didn’t know that much about smokejumping.
After we moved to Pennsylvania, I continued to have an interest in wildfires, as they were (unfortunately) in the news so often. I began to research certain fires and suppression techniques.
I came across smokejumping and Deanne’s story, and promptly fell into a rabbit hole. Her journey of being unfairly turned away from a position she was qualified for, and then fighting back, struck a chord in me. I felt that it was a story that needed to be shared.
Q: What do you think Sarah Gonzales’s illustrations add to the book?
A: Sarah Gonzalez is an extremely talented artist! She’s posted about her process for illustrating Ablaze on Instagram (@sgonzalesart).
The work that goes into illustrating a picture book is absolutely astounding. Her investment in developing the right color palates, her dedication to accuracy, and her overall sense of story culminated in a beautiful, vibrant, alive outcome.
Her art is equally meticulous and poetic, both in terms of natural elements and human ones. She requested multiple photos of equipment, and did her own research to ensure that the landscapes were delivered in a way that draws you into the narrative.
She really did a magician’s job, blending and weaving my words into something that is more than background to the story—her art is an intrinsic part of the reading experience. I couldn’t be more grateful that she is the illustrator of my debut picture book.
Q: The Publishers Weekly review of the book says, “In this resonant story, conserving nature, protecting communities, and demanding equal opportunity unite.” What do you think of that description?
A: I love it. Because while this is primarily a story about Deanne’s journey toward becoming the nation’s first female smokejumper, it’s also a universal tribute to our forests—the vital role they play in our lives and the importance of protecting them.
Deanne’s courage in standing up for her right to help aid in the protection of the natural environment and communities alike is inspiring, and also speaks to larger challenges we’ve had, and continue to have, in terms of allowing those who are passionate about something to pursue it.
Q: How did you research the book, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?
A: I was lucky enough to interview Deanne on the telephone and via email, which was incredible. She corroborated much of what I’d read, and filled in details that ended up in the book, such as working extremely long shifts.
Here’s a quote from our transcribed interview: Back in the day, especially on an initial attack you could work 24 hours quite easily, sometimes longer than that, 36 hours. You would work until they got another crew in to replace you, whenever that was. So you didn’t leave the line unattended/unwatched. That sort of work shift wouldn’t happen today.
In speaking with her, one thing really stuck with me: Deanne did not set out to be a wildland firefighter. She was assigned the job with the forest service, after figuring that they would just stick her in an office (as happened with most USFS females at the time).
She grew to love it, but she didn’t start out thinking, “I want to be a firefighter.” And she never once intended to be an inspiration to women. She didn’t care about standing up to “men.” It was never male versus female. She only wanted to do a job that she knew she was qualified to do.
And there were male firefighters who were on her side the whole time. Dale “Mouse” Owen—a 4'10" smokejumper she exchanged letters with—encouraged her to fight for her right to do what she was capable of.
Another thing that surprised me is that she’s afraid of heights—not horribly, but she said that she doesn’t like to be around cliff edges or things like that. Jumping from the planes didn’t bother her, though. She said that the sensation of height that creates fear didn’t really kick in during those moments.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Right now, I’m working on a picture book biography of Jacqueline Cochran, the first female to break the sound barrier. She was a self-made businesswoman, pilot, and advocate who was close friends with Chuck Yeager and Amelia Earhart.
Her life is fascinating, and it was said that you either loved Jackie or didn’t—there was no in-between. She was fearless. One of my favorite quotes of hers is: “And to live without risk, for me, would have been tantamount to death.”
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Wildland fires have increased in frequency and intensity over the last hundred years—over the last 20 years, for that matter. This is largely attributed to climate change and its effect on vegetation and weather patterns. As we develop certain areas with buildings and homes, devastation of both natural and human habitats will continue to occur.
While it’s a scary prospect, it’s comforting to know that there are people who are diligent and passionate about suppressing fires when they occur. I’m very grateful to have learned about and shared Deanne’s story.
Thank you so much for having me on the blog!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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