Fire Family Life
Stories, hard truths, and creative work rooted in life married to a wildland firefighter
I’ve been married to my husband and his mistress—CAL FIRE—for over 15 years.
I’ve done the strike team goodbyes, the holidays with an empty seat at the table, and the FaceTime calls from a hotel parking lot while the kids fall apart in the backseat. I’ve packed bags alone, cancelled trips, and held it all together while wondering if he was safe or just quiet.
This page isn’t about venting. And it’s definitely not about pretending this life is easier than it is. It’s where I share what I’ve learned from the frontlines of fire family life—creatively, honestly, and without the filtered version. You’ll find pieces of my story, podcast episodes I’ve cohosted on Dear Chiefs Podcast, and real conversations that go beyond the clichés.
If you’ve ever felt like no one else gets what it’s like to be married to this job… you’re not alone. Welcome home.
Why share? Why now?
For a long time, I didn’t talk about the hard parts. I kept moving through the chaos, managing the schedule, holding it all together while wondering if I was the only one struggling with the weight of it.
Eventually, I started putting words to the things that felt too heavy to carry alone. Not as a brand. Not as a business. Just as a way to feel less invisible inside this life.
Fire family life doesn’t come with a manual. Most of the time, it doesn’t even come with a warning. But writing about it—saying it out loud—has helped me feel more grounded in the middle of all the uncertainty.
I share now because this is what’s true for me. And maybe something in it will feel true for you too..
Where it goes from here
I’m not entirely sure. This space isn’t part of some grand strategy. It’s just where I come when the words won’t leave me alone.
Sometimes they land as captions. Sometimes they become conversations. Sometimes they just sit here, quietly, waiting for someone else who’s been through it too. I don’t have a blueprint for what comes next. But if you’re here reading this, I’m glad we crossed paths. There’s more to say—and when I’m ready, you’ll find it here.
