Hot Spot

By Carl Bowen and Marc Lee

An epic wildfire rages in the Pacific Northwest, and the world’s newest, most elite firefighting crew — the FIRESTORMERS — is on the scene. But so are a group of conservationists, bent on defending the habitat of a rare, endangered bird species. With lives and land at stake, crew boss Anna MacElreath and the Firestormers must decide who or what to save inside this latest hot spot.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: May 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781496590473

Carl Bowen

Carl Bowen's novel, Shadow Squadron: Elite Infantry, earned a starred review from Kirkus.  He lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Book preview

FIRESTORMERS

Elite Firefighting Crew

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As the climate changes and the population grows, wildland fires increase in number, size, and severity. Only an elite group of men and women are equipped to take on these immense infernos. Like the toughest military units, they have the courage, the heart, and the technology to stand on the front lines against hundred-foot walls of 2,000-degree flames. They are the FIRESTORMERS.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

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Established: January 26, 1915

Coordinates: 40°20′00″ N, 105°42′32″ W

Location: Colorado, USA

Size: 265,761 acres (415 square miles)

Elevation Range: 8,000–14,259 feet above sea level

Ecology: Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park can twist and turn up the highest continuous paved road in North America. At 12,183 feet, few animals call this peak home, although marmots, pikas, and bighorn sheep thrive there. In the park’s grassy valleys, moose, black bears, and beavers, as well as threatened Canada lynx and endangered whooping cranes, enjoy protected habitat.

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CHAPTER ONE

There are times when I hate my job, Chief MacElreath said over the constant buzzing of her cell phone. Dinnertime, for example.

Just answer the phone, Anna, her husband Brett said, rolling his eyes.

As the chief stood from the dining room table, Brett took a bite of his steaming sloppy joe, mugging delicious bliss like he was auditioning for a TV commercial.

The chief pretended to ignore him. MacElreath, she said into phone. Uh-huh. How many acres? The chief raised her eyebrows at the response.

Hello, David, Brett called out from the dining table.

He says, ‘hi,’ MacElreath relayed. He also apologizes for interrupting dinner.

Brett cocked an eyebrow. Does he now?

No.

Chief MacElreath frowned, listening to what the person on the line was saying, then asked, How long? All right then. I’ll get my stuff. See you in a bit. Okay, bye.

MacElreath ended the call and sighed.

Where’s this one? Brett asked.

In Rocky Mountain, she said. Near Estes Park.

How bad is it? he asked.

About five thousand acres. The team’s already in the air.

Brett stood. I’ll wrap up dinner.

Thanks, hon, MacElreath said. I got to get my bag.

* * *

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Five minutes later, Chief MacElreath met David Holloway, her right-hand man, at the door. Holloway popped in briefly and gave Brett an apologetic shrug. Dinnertime, huh? he asked. Sorry.

It’s the job, Brett said, shrugging back.

She’ll be back soon, Holloway told him. A few days, probably. Maybe a week at most. Two weeks, tops. He laughed.

Brett couldn’t help but chuckle along. I know the drill, he said, grinning.

With that, Chief MacElreath and Holloway headed out and piled into David’s car.

Holloway glanced back toward the front door, where Brett stood watching them pull away. He doesn’t like me much, does he? he muttered.

"I’m lucky he even puts up with