Flames of Extinction

The first book to publish that dives into the stories of the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires and their impact on the country’s
unique and charismatic wildlife.

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In the early months of 2020, the world’s attention was riveted on Australia, where the nation’s iconic wildlife fought for
survival in the face of unprecedented wildfires. Images of koalas drinking from firefighters’ water bottles went viral and
became the global face of a catastrophe that would kill as many as three billion animals. Known as the Black Summer, the
fire season was responsible for more wildlife deaths and near-extinctions than any other single event in Australian
history. Flames of Extinction, written by a journalist at the heart of this news coverage, is the first book to tell the stories of
Australia’s record-setting fires, focusing on the wild animals and plants that will be forever changed.
As news of the fires spread around the world, journalist John Pickrell was inundated with requests for articles about the
danger to Australia’s wildlife. The picture seemed grim, from charred koalas to flames that burned so hot not even animal
skeletons remained. But Pickrell’s reporting exposed a larger picture of hope. Flames of Extinction tells the story of the
scientists, wildlife rehabilitators, and community members who came together to save wildlife and protect them in the
future.
As climate change intensifies and devastating wildfires become more commonplace, Australia’s Black Summer offers a
poignant warning to the rest of the world. Through evocative and urgent storytelling, Flames of Extinction puts readers on
the ground to witness the aftermath of one of Australia’s greatest tragedies and inside the inspiring effort to save lives.