Agenda

Canyon Hohenstein was born and raised in Montana, where he spent seven seasons working as a wildland firefighter. The highlight of his firefighting career came when he was assigned to lead a 20-man prison crew: 17 incarcerated men and three prison guards from the state prison were under his command as they fought to contain a wildfire. Canyon made the difficult decision to end his firefighting career before it ended him.

He then turned his focus to writing, determined to explore the themes that fascinate him—legacy, judgment, redemption, and the stewardship of our planet. This first book is a tale of incarcerated men and their uncertain leader, all seeking redemption in the heat of a wildfire. Though fictional, the story is deeply inspired by his brief but eternal time working shoulder to shoulder with prisoners as they battled the blaze.

In “Who Tames the Flames” Gully is a seasoned wildland firefighter who quit the profession and fell into depression. Then, as Montana faces its worst fire season in over 100 years, he returns, searching for purpose in the only place he’s ever found it. He is thrust into the most combustible role of his career: Crew boss for the prison crew. Fire has shaped Gully’s entire existence—his father died in the Yellowstone Fires of ‘88, leaving behind a heavy legacy. Now, he is once again thrown to the flames. Through burnouts, bucket drops, and blistering heat, Gully gets to know the convict crew as the complex individuals they are. But what he doesn’t see is the thread binding the prison crew and the mysterious shadow surrounding his father’s death. A wildfire does not just destroy—it reveals. And Gully will painfully discover this shadow was cast by those who used their internal blaze to incinerate another.

This event will take an interview format, with Canyon discussing his experiences, the book and its evolution, and reading extracts from it. Whilst the event is free, places are limited and we do ask that you buy a 3€ voucher, redeemable at the event.