Marin Sonoma
STRONG
I
By Michelle Slade
n the early hours of Oct. 8, 2017, the un-
nerving smell of smoke had already begun
to infi ltrate throughout Marin and Sonoma
counties. Daylight brought hazy, yellow skies,
disturbed air quality, and the macabre truth:
the worst wildfi res in the history of Sonoma
County were just beginning an
unprecedented and catastrophic
rampage, resulting in more than
250 fi res that ravaged more than
250,000 acres, killing 44 people,
and destroying 8,900 buildings.
The fi res burned throughout
the counties for three weeks
before containment was in sight.
Marin and Sonoma women were
among the vast number of fi re-
fi ghters and fi rst responders who
rallied for days on end to bring
closure to the tragic events.
"I had never seen a fi re like this
in terms of how hot and fast the
