State of Fire gives a raw, unexpected, and all-too-truthful view of one man's journey into the world of wildland firefighting. This book is based on the author's experiences as a crewmember of the Highlands 20, once described as an "elite 20-man handcrew". This book pulls back the curtain on the mysteries of those who go toe-to-toe in fierce battles with Nature, exposing various overlooked aspects of what it takes and means to fight wildfire.

From the raw physicality of the job, to the job's transformational qualities, to the extreme camaraderie earned along the way, State of Fire explores the toll that wildland firefighters pay physically, mentally, socially, and of course, the toll it takes on their love lives.

Within these book, wildland firefighters are not "hero-ized" role models sanitized of any shred of truth, but portrayed with all their flaws, egos, weaknesses, and baggage, giving the listener a better understanding of not only the people who go into the wild lands of America and fight fire but the realities of the job itself. This book is about finding commonality by going through hardship with strangers who soon become closer than family. It's about what happens when you separate men from society and normalcy for months at a time. It's about finding purpose in the most unexpected of places. It is about coming to terms with one's limitations. It's about pranks and laughter and ball-breaking and love and loss, all while testing one's mental, emotional, and physical strength through wildfire!