Out of the Ashes

With the devastating Thomas Fire over the New Year still fresh in many memories, a dynamic duo of writers, Elizabeth Rose and Deva Temple, have written From The Fire, a collection of photographs, art, poetry, and reflection of Ojai’s experience in the conflagration.

“It is amazing what we have collected,” says Rose. ‘We have received more than 800 photograph submissions and have interviewed dozens of community members, including the police and fire chiefs, HELP of Ojai, the Humane Society, people who lost and saved their homes, and residents who evacuated and others that stayed.

“It is a very important book, connecting the community together so many months after the disaster. And hopefully for a long time after that.

“In our multi-media lives, we can move on really fast, but this experience we all had, it’s still there, right under the surface and we need to stop, reflect, and remember.”

Net proceeds from the 200-page, full-color book, which will be launched in November, will be donated to the Greater Goods Relief Fund, with neither author receiving monies for the many months of work put in compiling their work together.

The Ojai Valley Museum considers the twosome’s interviews to be archival documents and will be including parts of From The Fire in its November exhibit about the last four major fires in the town of under 8,000 residents.

“We also believe the book has a wider appeal than Ojai,” adds Rose. “This is a comprehensive story of one town’s experience with the largest wildfire in modern California history, which destroyed 281,893 acres and 1,063 structures, causing $2.176 billion worth of damage. With the amount of fires and other natural disasters that are occurring, and so many other towns and communities struggling during these times, we believe it will resonate with many people.

“We are especially sensitive to the devastation and loss in the Montecito community and, while we understand the experiences of such a natural disaster, we cannot comprehend the loss of life in the way your community has faced this. We are sensitive to this and do believe the hope and connection that comes forth from this book will support the Montecito community as well.”

Rose, a Ojai resident, says one the “beautiful” things that came out of the book project is the friendship that has evolved with Temple, who lives in Ashland, Oregon, and who originally planned a photography book and contacted her via Facebook.

“From not knowing each other, it is quite amazing how our creative skills complement each other… We are blessed to have forged this friendship born of fire.”