This book is a collection of images documenting the days that followed the record-breaking wildfires in several counties throughout Northern California in the months of October of 2017 and July of 2018. The title "rain kept the ash from spreading" for this body of work is illustrated in multiple forms. In a literal sense, days after the fires subsided several rain storms passed through that quite literally dampened the grounds and "kept the ash from spreading." Through this sequence of images that same phrase is transformed into a metaphorical understanding of the cycle of life and the beauty of rebirth in natural systems-- once the fires have passed there is nothing left but to start over and begin again.