Tucson Festival of Books

Kelly Ramsey


Kelly Ramsey is the author of "Wildfire Days." She co-founded The Lighthouse Works, an artists’ residency program, and later worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a wilderness ranger and wildland firefighter. Ramsey's writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Sierra, Outside, LitHub, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Newsweek. She loves creeks, coffee, getting too much sun, and plants, even if their care remains a mystery. She lives in Bishop, California, with her family.

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Scheduled events:
Hotshots: Courage in the Flames
Explore the peril, power, and personal toll of wildfire in America from battling blazes on elite hotshot crews to reporting on catastrophic fires that reshape communities and landscapes. Join authors Kelly Ramsey, River Selby, and Jacob Soboroff as they share firsthand stories of courage, resilience, and the changing face of fire in the West.

National Park Experience Stage (Seats 146, Wheelchair accessible)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sat, Mar 14, 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Nature / Environment
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - National Parks (following presentation)

Panelists: Kelly Ramsey, River Selby, Jacob Soboroff
Moderator: Kevin Fedarko
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Western National Parks
Trailblazing Women of the Wild
Discover the courage, resilience, and trailblazing spirit of women reshaping the outdoors. From wildland firefighting and navigating dangerous rivers to uncovering Black botanical legacies, Kelly Ramsey, Bridget Crocker, and Beronda Montgomery share their powerful stories of survival, leadership, and breaking barriers in the natural world.

National Park Experience Stage (Seats 146, Wheelchair accessible)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sun, Mar 15, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Nature / Environment
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - National Parks (following presentation)

Panelists: Bridget Crocker, Beronda Montgomery, Kelly Ramsey
Moderator: Marie Buck
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Western National Parks

Book:
Wildfire Days
A Woman, a Hotshot Crew, and the Burning American West
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Scribner
June 2025
ISBN 9781668031476
352 pages
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