What’s it really like to hike into a wildfire with 60 pounds of gear, surrounded by smoke and heat, knowing your job is to stop it? Kelly Ramsey knows—and in her gripping new memoir Wildfire Days: A Woman, a Hotshot Crew, and the Burning American West (Scribner, June 2025), she shares the reality behind the headlines.
As the only woman on a 20-person elite hotshot crew, Ramsey fought fires across the West, from dense forests to high mountain ridges. Her story is one of grit, growth, and resilience—and also one that speaks directly to the growing number of people living in wildfire-prone areas. Ramsey doesn’t just relive the adrenaline and intensity of the job—she offers calm, grounded guidance for those who want to be ready.
Kelly Ramsey is available for interviews starting Monday, June 16, 2025, and can discuss:
- What it’s really like to fight wildfires
- How her experience shaped her perspective on leadership and resilience
- What communities and individuals can do to stay safe and informed
- The power of preparation—and the importance of hope
- Top Tips for Wildfire Preparedness
- Create defensible space around your home by clearing brush, dry grass, and debris
- Pack a “go bag” now with essentials in case of sudden evacuation
- Sign up for local alerts and know your evacuation routes ahead of time
- Use fire-resistant materials when building or renovating your home
- Pay attention to weather conditions—especially Red Flag warnings
Wildfire Days is not a story of fear—it’s a story of strength. It’s about what it means to face the elements, rely on your team, and discover just how much you’re capable of. And it’s a reminder that while we may not be able to stop every fire, we can be ready.
If there is interest, please respond with a date/time for the interview and an address to mail the hard copy of the book.
Johanna J. Ramos-Boyer | JRB Communications, LLC for Scribner | Office: 703-646-5137 |Cell: 703-400-1099 | johanna@jrbpr.biz | johanna@
Kelly Ramsey was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. She studied poetry at the University of Virginia and fiction writing at the University of Pittsburgh. She cofounded The Lighthouse Works, an artists’ residency program, and later moved to Northern California, where she worked for the US Forest Service as a trail maintenance worker, wilderness ranger, and wildland firefighter. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Sierra, Electric Literature, and the anthology Letter to a Stranger. She lives in Redding, California, with her partner and their dog, Rookie.