Brian Fies captivated our hearts with his graphic memoir, Mom’s Cancer. And just when we thought we couldn’t cry more, he created and published A Fire Story.
In The Middle Of The Night
A Fire Story is Brian’s recollection of the 2017 Northern California fire that destroyed 6,200 homes while scorching scores of land. Forty-four individuals died in the fire. Brian and his family were among those who lost their home.
The nightmare began after midnight on Monday, October 9, 2017. Brian and his wife were awakened by the blaze just outside their window. They had minutes to pack their bags and escape danger.
Brian and his wife were able to stay with their daughters. And then, things got complicated.
The author went back to what was his neighborhood to find his and everyone else’s homes burned to the ground. They were eventually allowed back into the community to sort through the salvageable possessions. This, as it turned out, was just the beginning of them trying to re-establish their lives.
Thinking Of Others
One aspect of A Fire Story that excites me is Brian’s commitment to giving his community a voice. He does not just make his memoir about himself. Instead, Fies includes the stories of his neighbors as a way of conveying the point of him not being the only person who lost his home in the 2017 Northern California Fire. We, in turn, get a better understanding of how the natural disaster affected individuals of various socio-economic standings.
For Truth Seekers
We often hear about natural disasters on the news without getting the inside story. Brian Fies seeks to change that with A Fire Story. Not only does he confirm what the general public knew about the 2017 Northern California fire, but he also fills in the holes so we can get a better understanding of what happened and how people moved forward after the tragedy. This book is for anyone searching for a first-hand account of that fateful day.