"I was born in the midst of a west Texas sandstorm. Storms of one sort or another have been part of my life ever since.” --Jim Paxon

In June 2002, Jim Paxon captured the world spotlight as the face and voice of the Rodeo-Chediski Fire that ravaged Arizona’s northern forests. His expertise, straight-talk and next-door neighborly style brought Arizonans, if not the world, closer to the action and certainly to a better understanding of how fire starts, grows and is contained. In those weeks, Jim transformed from Forest Services Information Officer to become known as “The Fire Guy.”

While the Rodeo-Chediski Fire was most people’s first introduction to Jim, it wasn’t his first experience with fire. For more than 30 years prior, he dedicated his life to gaining knowledge and experience with Mother Nature’s use of fire as a tool for maintaining the perfect natural balance.

Born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Jim has had a lifelong love affair with nature. He dedicated 33 years to United States Forest Service, spending his last 22 years there as a District Ranger in Colorado and New Mexico. During that time, he served on the Forest Service’s Southwest Interagency Incident Management Team that manages major fires and other crisis. On both the Rodeo-Chediski Fire and the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire in Los Alamos, NM, Jim served as the Lead Information Officer in charge of public information and coordination of information with all involved agencies including the White House.

While Jim retired from the Forest Service in 2003, he hasn’t slowed in his passion to teach people to live harmoniously with our forests and with the inevitability of fire.

As a founding member of the Arizona Wildfire Academy, Jim continues to train firefighters. Jim is active as a consultant; working with Northern Arizona University’s Ecological Restoration Institute, with NBC’s Channel 12 – KPNX, The Arizona Republic and with Arizona’s ecologically oriented Governor Janet Napolitano. He is a FireWise assessor and advisor. He also works with forest communities, residents and businesses to reduce fire risks.

Jim recently authored his first book, “The Monster Reared His Ugly Head” providing his first-hand, straight-talk insights into the Rodeo-Chediski Fire.

After spending many years living in New Mexico, Jim and his wife Debbie now live in Show Low, AZ, the community completely evacuated, but saved during the Rodeo-Chediski Fire.