SEBAGO — Some Mainers still remember October of 1947, when, after a season of terrible drought, wildfires burned all over the state of Maine. Brownfield was one of the worst-hit areas. Eighty percent of the town, including all churches, schools, post offices and other public buildings, was completely destroyed in the span 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. “She had her little dog Woofie with her, and she had a plan. She was going to stay at her house and fight the fire with a broom, a bucket of water and a snow rake. …”

Facing the devastation after the fire, neighbors ingeniously made do, shared what they had and rebuilt what they could.

Lovell storyteller and oral historian Jo Radner spent a year interviewing people who experienced the Brownfield fire – residents who did and did not lose their homes, as well as others who aided in the rescue and rebuilding effort.

From those interviews as well as letters and historical photographs and newspaper reports, she has created “Burnt into Memory: Stories of the Brownfield Fire,” a story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery and even humor.

She will present “Burnt into Memory” at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Sebago Historical Society, 347 Convene Road.

On-stage at theaters, festivals, conferences and community events, Radner presents personal, family and folk stories, as well as tales about the people and history of western Maine  She delights in eccentrics, believes that humor and sadness are good bedfellows, and favors characters whose lives defy simple explanations.

Past president of the American Folklore Society and the National Storytelling Network, Radner puts on storytelling and oral history workshops.

For more information about the Sept. 26 performance, call 787-2489.

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