Nicio and Cedar Fire is the tale of a Native American fireman who, ignoring evacuation warnings; fights to save his home from a devastating forest fire; reminisces about his family and childhood; dreams about pre-Columbian Mesoamerican gods; and is ultimately saved by a Thunderbird. The story was inspired by real events experienced by the authors' brother, Martin Dionicio "Nicio" Aguilera. In October 2003 his home in California was threatened by a fire dubbed Cedar Fire. It was the largest wildland fire in California history. The fire knocked out local communications, leaving his East Coast family anxious and concerned for his safety until they found a series of dramatic articles featuring Nicio's efforts on the website of the The San Francisco Chronicle. The firsthand account of his courageous (if foolhardy) stand conjured up images of heroes and myths that eventually evolved into the children's book "Nicio and Cedar Fire".