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As a Petaluma resident, I was deeply moved by the devastating loss of life, homes, barns, and vineyards that engulfed Sonoma county during the North Bay Fires of 2017. I never dreamed this kind of destruction was even possible and I soon realized climate change was the new reality, no longer a theoretical forecast. As soon as it was possible, I began to photograph the burnt-out remnants of neighborhood backyards: metal dining tables, lawn chairs, a child’s playhouse, and I realized I was documenting artifacts and structural reminders of lives that had been changed forever.

The Stornetta Dairy and Creamery was the local headquarters for the company and the 100-year-old grey-white building was an historic landmark in the county. This building and all the accompanying structures on both sides of Route 12 in Sonoma were destroyed by the fires.

Mima Cataldo

www.MimaCataldo.com