In October of 2017, Sonoma County was ravaged by a series of wildfires more intense than any seen in the county in over fifty years. As a part time resident of Santa Rosa, the county seat, I was inspired to follow the aftermath and recovery after the fires and the dichotomy of human perseverance and tragedy that can only been seen after a disaster of such magnitude. I hope to offer a unique perspective, not just that of a photographer and photojournalist, but also a neighbor hoping to do justice to my neighborhood and city, and remind the world that although the fires are long gone, the journey towards recovery is far from over.

My story will focus on Coffey Park, neighborhood in Northwest Santa Rosa that was affected by the Tubbs Fire. This a personal story for me because my family's home is only four blocks from the burn area, and I hope to give a unique perspective on these fires and what it means for a community to survive and recover from tragedy. This is part one of three of my series, which will focus on the evacuation and aftermath, the second on the newfound sense of hope and community that Coffey Park has found, and the third looking forward as the community continues to recover and grow.

#SonomaStrong

From left to right: 

"God Bless Thank you all emergency responders"

"This is NOT an amusement park. Be respectful, take your pictures and move on! Anyone who crosses this fence will be assumed to be looting...this neighborhood does not fire warning shots!!!"

"Too late!! We found our gold stash and then some"