"Beauty in the ugliness": California artist turns wood scorched by wildfires into art It's been a devastating year in California, with wildfires blamed for the deaths of at least eight people and the loss of countless homes. So far, more than 4,000 fires have burned nearly 818,000 acres. The flames are leaving a trail of devastation, but out of the ashes the seed of an idea was planted for a local artist. Jamie Wax reports.