A Fire Story

From celebrated author and illustrator Brian Fies comes a firsthand account of the Northern California wildfires of 2017

Early morning on Monday, October 9, 2017, wildfires burned through Northern California, resulting in 44 fatalities. In addition, 6,200 homes and 8,900 structures and were destroyed. Author Brian Fies’s firsthand account of this tragic event is an honest, unflinching depiction of his personal experiences, including losing his house and every possession he and his wife had that didn’t fit into the back of their car. In the days that followed, as the fires continued to burn through the area, Brian hastily pulled together A Fire Story and posted it online — it immediately went viral. He is now expanding his original webcomic to include environmental insight and the fire stories of his neighbors and others in his community. A Fire Story is an honest account of the wildfires that left homes destroyed, families broken, and a community determined to rebuild.

“A Fire Story grabs you from the first page, drawing you in with its harrowing and uplifting tale of loss, survival, and the power of community. Fies is a master storyteller who uses his skills as a cartoonist to create deeply personal stories with lasting impact.” Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid

“The unimaginable has been laid out on the page by author and artist Brian Fies. Brian’s own story provides the framework, but he also incorporates the vivid recollection of others to paint a picture of a horrendous night and its aftermath. A Fire Story is more than just a graphic novel, it is journalism and memoir at its best.” Jean Schulz, President, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California

“Brian Fies sat down with some Sharpies and some paper to process his pain the way he knows best. He began to draw. The result is A Fire Story... a webcomic that recounts the heart-wrenching devastation the California wildfires has wrought. Fies is a graphic novelist, one of the best in his field. A few years ago, when his mom was battling terminal cancer, he processed his grief by writing the comic Mom’s Cancer. It won an Eisner Award, one of the comic world’s highest achievements. Now he’s had to do it all over again.” CNN

“Drawings, words, and a few photos combine to convey the depth of a tragedy that would leave most people dumbstruck.” Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist of the award-winning graphic novels Mom’s Cancer and Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? Although he lost his home, he and his wife are rebuilding in Santa Rosa, California.