This authoritative official history provides a regional Forest Service viewpoint of ground level fire control work and describes how nationally important policy and direction emerged from the Service’s experiences in California. It also places the story of fire control in California in the context of national and world events. Many notable fires are described, some in detail, to illustrate the path by which this effectiveness was earned, showing the ups and downs along the way. 442 Pages; 9 Maps; 37 Historical Photos; index