The Fire Outside My Window

A survivor's heart-stopping account of a modern megafire, with a new introduction by the author

"The Cedar fire was a landmark event in American and California fire history. It continues to be a valuable case study for fire-line leaders and emergency responders. The Fire Outside My Window captures the epic scale, drama, and impact of today's recurring megafires better than any other book I know, and Sandra Younger's harrowing account of her own brush with death should be required reading for all emergency responders and anyone who lives in the wildland-urban interface. The Fire Outside My Window has become a classic account of a historic wildfire." -Tom Boatner, Chief, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Fire Operations (retired)

One of the largest and most destructive fires in California's recorded history, the Cedar Fire ravaged the San Diego area in late 2003, burning 273,246 acres, destroying 2,820 structures, and killing 15 people.

In a hopeful new introduction to this special 20th anniversary edition of The Fire Outside My Window, author Sandra Millers Younger reveals lessons learned from the historic California fire that took her home and signaled a new era in fire and climate history.

Younger's own miraculous saga of escape, ruin and renewal unifies a tapestry of experiences that takes readers into the heart of the epic firefight with stories of firefighters scrambling to combat a disaster bigger than they'd ever imagined, and civilians racing desperately to escape the flames.

The Fire Outside My Window is a riveting and nuanced tale that captures the intensity of a catastrophic wildfire, honors those lost to its fury, and celebrates the human spirit's innate capacity to triumph over adversity.