Jo Radner

Burnt into Memory: How Brownfield Faced the Fire

In October, 1947, a terrible wildfire destroyed almost all of the western Maine town of Brownfield, including all its churches, schools, post offices, and other public buildings, in the space of a few hours. In the face of the fire, Brownfield residents responded with courage and care – and even obstinacy in a few cases like that of retired schoolteacher Mabel Stone, who chose to stay home with her beloved dog Woofie and fight the fire with a broom, a bucket of water, and her snow rake.
Confronting the devastation after the fire, neighbors ingeniously made do, shared what they had, and rebuilt what they could.

I spent a year interviewing people who experienced the Brownfield Fire, and from those interviews and from letters and historical photographs and newspaper reports, I have created a powerful story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery, and – yes – even humor.