Summary

In “Malibu Catches Fire,” the narrator explains that fire is the natural disaster of California. The dry land and the hot Santa Ana winds are accelerants. The fire of 1983 started at the home of Nina Riva, 28150 Cliffside Drive, during an annual party that got out of control. It is stated that one person who attended the party had the habit of starting fires and then walking away.

The novel is set on Saturday, August 27, 1983. At 7 a.m., Nina woke knowing that was the day of her annual party. She had to host it even though everyone coming knew her husband, Brandon Randall, had left her for his mistress, Carrie Soto. The magazine Now This had run it as a cover story. Nina did not like the way she was compared to her rock star father.

Nina tried to hear the sounds of...