After The Fires: Sonoma County Photos Of The Week

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 of this past week marked the one-month anniversary of when the massive, destructive and deadly fires first hit Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and neighboring Northern California counties. Although it was an "anniversary" we at Patch were aware of, we were unsure whether we wanted to contribute to reliving those horrific moments that took the lives of more than 40 people, injured hundreds and destroyed or damaged the homes and businesses of countless others.

But this week, as local photographer Al Francis, a longtime Napa County resident and now a Sonoma County resident, sought to find a way to acknowledge the tragic events, he came across some touching photos which we share with you above.

Two are of a special type of American flag Francis spotted hanging in the fire-ravaged luxury home community of Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa. The flags are a tribute to the countless first responders, many of whom worked even as their own homes were lost to the fires. One of the flags bears a blue stripe for law enforcement, while the other has a red stripe for firefighters combined with a blue stripe for law enforcement.

The third photo is of a bouquet of flowers he saw placed at the base of a garage door of a Fountaingrove home lost in the Tubbs Fire.

We share these photos with you in a show of support for those affected by the fires, those who came to their rescue when it mattered most and all those now helping them recover.

If you have a similar photo you would like to share with your community, please email it to maggie.avants@patch.com.

• ALSO SEE: PHOTOS: Bay Area Bands Together For Fire Relief

Photos by Al Francis/Napasonomaphotos.com