Paradise on Fire

Leo is an adult white man who owns Wilderness Adventures. He found his true home in the wilderness after growing up in a city. Leo is active in helping to preserve the wilderness by mapping the terrain and sending data to scientists who are trying to prevent wildfires. He also educates the kids who come to his camp about The Importance of Nature. It is implied that Leo is important in the area because Dylan becomes a camp counselor in hopes of getting a recommendation from Leo.

Leo acts as a mentor to Addy by introducing her to the wild and showing her the beauty and importance of the natural world. Leo also teaches Addy that her own mapmaking could have an important role in conservation. Leo sees Addy’s strengths and encourages her, such as in the following exchange: “‘You’re excellent at spatial reasoning.’ ‘You mean it?’ Except for Bibi, no one’s ever told me I’m excellent at anything before” (80). Leo builds Addy’s confidence in herself while also helping her see how she can use her gifts for the good of the world around her. While the primary focus in the novel is how Leo helps Addy gain strength, he also mentors Jay and brings him along on his and Addy’s hikes. While DeShon is not as inclined toward the wild, Leo encourages his interest in reptiles.

Leo is devoted to nature, but it is clear that he has his own trauma. He says, “If we let it, Nature can thrive. Too bad it’s not that easy for people” (84). Addy sees a photograph in Leo’s office of a woman, and she surmises that Leo must have lost her somehow. Although the reader never finds out exactly what or who Leo has lost, the implication is that—like Addy—he has found solace and meaning in nature.

When Addy is found by firefighters at the end of the novel, they tell her that Leo said that if anyone could survive, it would be her. Against all odds, Leo had confidence that Addy could live through the wildfire. His continuous mentorship helps make her stronger and leads to her Personal Growth and Self-Discovery. It is clear that Leo’s mentorship of Addy and Jay does not end after the summer because in the Epilogue, Addy, Jay, and Bibi have come to Paradise Ranch for the summer.

Jay is an integral secondary character and is a Black teenager from New York City. He has also gone through trauma. His little brother was killed in a drive-by shooting, and he blames himself because his little brother was waiting for him to come home. Addy and Jay strengthen their bond by sharing their personal traumas, with Addy telling Jay what happened to her parents and revealing why she is so anxious around fire. Jay takes this information to heart: While the others are enjoying making s’mores over the fire, Jay makes Addy one so that she does not have to deal with the fire herself. Addy feels even closer to him as a result: “Jay makes me s’mores. He’s a really good guy […] Jay could know me without me saying a word” (122). Without Addy needing to ask, Jay helps her.

Jay is consistently supportive of Addy. He believes in her, particularly where nature is concerned. When Dylan and Addy disagree over which direction to go when the wildfire gets close to camp, Jay supports Addy unequivocally and continues to do so throughout the escape. His faith in her pays off because the group that went with Dylan does not survive, while Addy’s group does.

In his own right, Jay is also at home in nature. He is a talented hiker and loves the outdoors. Several times, it is Addy and Jay who are most prepared when something unexpected happens. He shows immense selflessness, immediately trying to give his hiking boots to DeShon (who did not remember to wear his) and belaying for the other three to climb down the canyon. Jay shows Addy that someone can experience loss without retreating from the world and isolating themselves.

Nessa is an important secondary character. She is a Black teenager from Jersey City who loves dance. She is very sociable and friendly. The reader does not find out much about her backstory, but she acts as a foil to Addy in her response to the wilderness. While Addy becomes an exceptional hiker who feels at ease in the woods, Nessa struggles to complete many of the activities. At the same time, she is consistently supportive toward the other characters.

When she is paired with Addy to share a room, she tells Addy that she is happy they were partnered together. Nessa’s warmth and kindness are strange to Addy at first, but her consistency helps put Addy at ease, with Nessa becoming one of Addy’s friends. While trying to escape the wildfire, Nessa nearly tumbles from a cliff and Addy keeps her safe, burning her arm in the process. Although Nessa cries often during the escape, she demonstrates her own character growth when she must keep Jay on the raft while he is unconscious. It takes her, Addy, and DeShon swimming furiously to save the group from going over the waterfall, and Nessa shows a new strength and determination throughout the ordeal. The novel’s ending suggests that Nessa remains Addy’s good friend, as Addy keeps a photo of her dancing.