Mountain Strong: Surviving the Creek Fire | FULL DOCUMENTARY

Labor Day weekend 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a small wildfire ignites in Central California's Sierra National Forest. Initially thought to be of no concern, the flames quickly spread and became at the time the largest single wildfire in California's recorded history, destroying everything in its path and displacing thousands of families for weeks.
ABC30 presents an original documentary, Mountain Strong: Surviving the Creek Fire, a comprehensive look at one of the state's most significant natural disasters and how a community is coming together to build from the ashes.
The documentary includes captivating first-hand experiences from volunteer firefighters who fought to keep the fire at bay, the Army National Guard pilots who risked their lives saving hundreds of people trapped by the flames, the Fresno County Sheriff's deputies who aided in the evacuation, and local families who are still struggling to rebuild their community.
#wildfire #california #sierra #creekfire #forestfire #education #firefighter #fire

[@mack8488]

These people trying to help...they deserve a LOT of respect

[@tafildobruna4004]

🌏🕌🤍🕋🤲🤲🤍🤲

[@briankistner4331]

The airlift will go down as legendary. I hope those National Guard personnel got the highest citation(s) possible.

[@kevintucker1491]

Just worked an 800 acre fire here in Wisconsin and I've been on large grass fires before that, but having the fire get into the trees and above your head makes it a different monster entirely. Other firefighters with me said they would rather run into a structure fire and I have to agree. Lots of respect for wildland firefighters!

[@richardkeilig4062]

Amen to that.

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

🔥🔥🔥TOO BAD FIREFIGHTERS ARE UNDER A GAG ORDER NOT TO SPEAK OF DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS LASERS STARTING ALL THESE FIRES !!!!!!!!! IF YOU WITHHOLD INFORMATION ON THIS , GOD WILL DEAL WITH YOU AND IT WONT BE NICE !!!!!!!!!! FIREFIGHTERS ALREADY HAVE SAID THEY'RE TO STAY SILENT ABOUT DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS ....... WHY , YOU'LL LOSE YOUR PAYCHECK ? 👎👎👎 SCREW A PAYCHECK !!👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎 TELL THE TRUTH !!!!!

[@rudem.2973]

There should be govenmnt issued JET PACKS given to all forest fire fighters , too include Hot Shots. So as to prevent Hot Shots from getting trapped in a forest fire. They could just fly up and over a fire and away from the forest fire. Rather then getting trapped by a fast moving fire. If this is at all possible.

[@dalasher4214]

We lost our home in the Camp fire of 2018 in Paradise so my heart goes out to all the people effected by this fire. Thanks for such a wonderful documentary that shows the heroics of the teams that saved so many people, like those helicopter workers. It was a horrible thing and I get it.

[@jt8251]

This community has been a part of my life for the better part of 40 years. I love every one of them.

[@kylereese4822]

So why is there billions of $`s of choppers in the Bone Yard doing nothing.... why they not being used ?? Get them flight ready for duration of a fire then put them back in the bone yard.... Oh wait that doesn't cost enough billions of $`s so that`s a no go idea them $`s is for wars only everything else is EXPENDABLE.

[@chewonthis...]

Whether male or female...all demonstrated a deep love for the area they lived or, live in. It is my hope that you all get to return "home" whatever that means or looks like for each and everyone of you! God's strength moving forward. I would count myself lucky to live amongst you!

[@joshjones3408]

A BIG thumbs up to the guys in the helicopter an to those who where involved with THIS...big det of graduated is owed here👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@kylereese4822]

Google The Bone Yard all those planes/choppers that could be used to fight fires instead of fighting wars or going to scrap....The lobbyist's the war machine is top priority, want to use them for fire fighting that would be a MASSIVE LAW SUIT and profit for the WAR MACHINE.... so basically the true fact is WARS are more important than putting out fires in woodland based cities AKA LET IT BURN.....

[@DreamseedVR]

RIP to Robert and all the victims

[@chewonthis...]

Your documentary is superbly well done! Especially in the sense of community that is demonstrated. From the heartfelt professionals, to the "mountain strong" residents, both young and old, we

[@Detcaligirl]

I work and live up there and I appreciate all of you! Mountain strong ❤

[@mariekatherine5238]

WHY don’t they practice conservation as in the past? Power companies must keep the space around their lines brush free. Go back to controlled burns. Do not allow development of certain areas. In those areas with homes, ban certain types of foliage. Do not allow eucalyptus trees or brush in developed areas. No trees over a certain height. Have fire ponds and alternate escape routes. No occupancy until those things are in place.

[@mack8488]

Agreed...a lot can be done preemptive...

[@timbanderson6611]

Thank Sierra club

[@sonnyjimm23]

Nature doesn't hate us, we just don't respect it and so when these things happen we play the victim of natures "wrath". Nature is doing what it is designed to do, it's not plotting against you.

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

👎👎👎👎WRONG !!!!! DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS WAS USED HERE , GATLINBERG , UK , RUSSIA , AND MAUI , HAWAII !!!!!!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥BETTER WAKE THE HELL UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@BrucePerkins-mc3hp]

Exactly, if you live in the urban/ wildland interface, you need to be prepared. Have a evacuation plan, maintain a minimum of 100' firebreak Around your property, and if you want Plant a barrier of ICE PLANT around your property. It is an excellent fire break. It retains a high % of moisture, and when a fire approaches, it will stop it in its tracks, to a certain degree. Be proactive and it will mean the difference between living and dying

[@andrewwright8507]

Growing up in Oregon fires and smoke in the summer were commonplace but it does seem they've gotten worse and to the comment above I agree there needs to be more brush clearing, prescribed burns so that wildfires aren't as destructive.

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

🔥🔥🔥 WORSE ????? WRONG !!!!!! DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS IS BEING USED TO DESTROY & KILL !!!!!!!!!

[@BrucePerkins-mc3hp]

Exactly but the authorities have cut back on what's called a prescribed burn. We went through something similar back in 1988, in Yellowstone And they decided to let the fires burn But then when the fires looked like it Might burn the whole park they decided to attack them. It took 25,000 firefighters, including 4,000 Marines until the first snowfall to put it Out. It consumed a total of 750,000 acres. If they would conduct controlled burns it would limit the growth of these conflagrations that are so destructive, both in property and lives.

[@Diesel0807]

Watching this monster blow up from the eastside of the range was unreal, the next 2 months were a smoky hell

[@JadeDelphi]

Our cabin was on the south side of Shaver village; we were lucky and it wasn't burned. So sad for Huntington and Shaver Lake communities

[@Glenn.Cooper]

Great reporting - thank you!

[@andrewramirez6703]

Hotshot wakeup has a podcast in its archives on the camp fire.. answers a lot of the questions about this fire.

[@chloehennessey6813]

How much did shutting down logging industry have to do? Loggers here leave the land clear of dead trees, the forest floor is clear of dead trees. Too much fuel and lack of forest management caused this fire to be so big.

[@kylesmith2604]

I feel as though in the end the fire will better the forest in general, the sierras are one of the most fire evolved ecosystems. I wish we would allow healthy forest populations by keeping numbers at less dense levels, allows the fire to pass by and not scorch the plants that actually require fire to release seeds. Everything under newsom has been a shit show and it’s really sad. The holy Jim fire took 3 years to start actually recovering, and 2 years later we had big rains and the canyon sprang back to life. Though our area didn’t have trees knocked down nearly as drastically making it much easier for recovery. Fires SHOULD NOT be able to move at hurricane speeds. So sorry for the communities impacted.

[@treysparling5924]

they’ve actually increased forest thinning in the last few years under newsom

[@jamescarson9118]

Out of a sad story emerged a great story. The spirit of the community is exemplary!

[@GungaLaGunga]

Real heroes!

[@christinasornbutnark1208]

So they believe lightning caused this. Crazy scary sad.

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

🔥🔥🔥 DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS !!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@DreamseedVR]

The Vacaville fire was arson at lake Berryessa covering a m*rder

[@Diesel0807]

There hadn't been any lightning in the sierra for over a month when this thing started

[@reneesimerale]

​@rageagains 39:30 tthemachine7434 wait what?? Show proof, like ACTUAL PROOF...

[@FroogDefault]

I don't think it was lightning just a rumor

[@Bunny_from_piggy]

I remember being in the creek fire

[@firewatch814]

22:13 Those winds never materialized, all we had was the typical northwest wind that comes up jose basin through alder springs, thats why they had a running crown fire go through alder springs and pine ridge. If we had got the northeast winds from bass lake all the way south to tollhouse would have been wiped out.

[@wisdomsleuth77777]

I think our pentagon should rethink this as a war on fire. We need to be sensible about what our military does all of these power lines could be put underground all of these fires could be fought with an army of people and equipment with better monitoring even like we need to use our resources with a fire crew National Guard with big enough numbers to make a dent. I pray for all of us! I was in a very fast scary fire. It was spreading in the tree tops wind driven fire it jumped from Pine Tree top to pine tree top half the length of a football field right in front of us! it could have turned in towards us...we literally got lucky not even knowing it was there before it did that, this is some scary apocalyptic stuff. Thankfully the area was located across from a national guard post and it was quickly contained! and these fire tornadoes are unreal scary I've seen one before, during a controlled burn!

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

👎👎👎👎👎 WHY CAN 'T PEOPLE SAY THE F*CKING TRUTH ?????? DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS ARE TAKING THESE PEOPLE OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S THE JESUS CHRIST TRUTH !!!!!!!!!!

[@MelodyPlayzYT]

Was this deadliar then the campfire? Just wondering cuz I never heard of this today

[@evelyn.embers]

From the Paradise Camp Fire 2018 - Reporter: “If there’s one takeaway you could tell the hundred other foothill towns that could be in the same danger as you-“ Councilman Mike Zuccolillo: “It could happen. I mean today this is the worst tragedy that’s ever happened. I hope I’m the last person that says that. I hope there’s not another town.”

[@FireFang120]

im a victim of the camp fire

[@RicardoEscalera]

😢😢

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

The cause of the fire appears to have three stages. 1. The initial fire 2. Historical experience and 3. The new situations nature brought into play with devastating effect.

[@BC-li6zc]

Fire is a natural part of the environment.

[@flyingtoaster1427]

am i wrong... was there footage from 2016?

[@firewatch814]

They were talking about a local fire fighter who got killed on the 2016 soberanes fire and showed some footage of that, his kids were trapped at mammoth pool.

[@flyingtoaster1427]

​@@firewatch814 Squirrely... i missed that

[@sg8953]

There's an excellent book about people being displaced due to natural disasters that everyone should read. The Great Displacement by Jake Bittle. Real interviews with real people about what this is like.

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

I would like to see homes designed to survive a forest fire. We have the technology if we can get into space. Lets get going. A stick home in a forest fire zone is nuts.

[@firewatch814]

A number of homes in pine ridge and alder springs survived because they were built to withstand a forest fire.

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

Any specifics? We don't have a forest around us here ... but working designs are just that. Wonder if any of the communities with building code enforcement are researching it. ??@@firewatch814

[@t.l.1610]

The tech exists. Unfortunately it’s often cost prohibitive. Like homes all throughout tornado alley & Dixie alley being subpar for tornados, not having basements even, certainly not storm shelters.

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

@@t.l.1610 Understood. So here is an opportunity for the think tank guys to come up with a novel solution ... but it sure looks to me like only a mini-cave with independent air supply would work.

[@t.l.1610]

@@michaelpcooksey5096 Amen to that! We should have better solutions by now.

[@bojiden5042]

Anyplace that has a fire season I have no desire to live there! Winter,summer and spring I’m ok with but firestorms and floods no thanks

[@SoulsGuns]

Yea I think setting up my Rail Buggy is a good thing to do.

[@SoulsGuns]

I’d much rather be away from the fire.

[@Ok-vm7lg]

A global warning budget would help, fires surely extend beyond land surveyance intentions at the time of zoning, something NO-ONE could forsee to protect financial rights

[@valentynpartyka93]

If everybody work on Environmen of his living place - nature, water, land, plant trees - 15 minutes each day - there will be no problems.

[@Johnnycaramelo25]

shout out to captain brown miramonte cc#5 crew 3

[@richardkeilig4062]

Wildfires require many skills from the fire fighters. Physical fitness is a must. Also, water supply is a must. But, the water may not be there. Tools are needed. In many ways this is different from structural fires. I admire the wildfire fighters.

[@rageagainstthemachine7434]

🔥🔥🔥 SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INFORM EVERYBODY THAT DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS ARE BEING USED TO MURDER INNOCENT PEOPLE !!!

[@nrolled2888]

I heard it was a gender reveal party while people were camping but for some reason they won’t disclose any details about it.

[@williamsmith5915]

LP

[@nrolled2888]

Log it or watch it burn. It’s a shame that the Pine beetle has been allowed to ruin our forests. Where are the environmentalists now?

[@iconart7]

Hey America, heres an idea, you like wars? how about fighting for your people and providing the military to help the civilians.

[@dacronic1646]

HELLA ads. Sucks cuz this is a good documentary.

[@Accu53Mation]

It's not the trees that need the controlled burning every three to five years. It's the surface. The debris of trees(and dead trees), that accumulates and becomes fuel. What makes California's fires so large is the lack of response by politicians, fire crews, and forest workers. The lack of strategy and cooperation. The lethargic time to get the job done. Those in charge, are quite simply controlling the fire, but their intent is to let it burn, at the cost of your property, so such a large fire don't happen in the future. Keep-the-ground-clear of natural debris, dead trees, dry grass, and you won't have such large fires. On a positive note: Fire, is just a part of nature. A necessity.

[@Obsidian369]

Why don't black people feel this way NOT all but so many I've met...They don't even care

[@dusa605]

I'm Black and I care very much about this. Why didn't you word it like " Why don't many of the black people I've met feel this way" ?. Still would be irrelevant and foolish. Why are you even asking that question? Do you not think that there are many people of all races that don't care? So every person that you've met that wasn't black cares ? Or are you only keeping track of how the "many" black people you've met feel about it. The fact that you even asked that instead of asking why many people don't feel this way shows your blatant prejudice. None of the white people I know, are friends with, or have met never even talk about any of these fires, but I've never wondered why "many white people don't care about wildfires" because it's strange to single out a race like that, and normal people don't think like that. What are you doing to help the situation? Are you involved in any organizations that are working on solutions? Did you go to help out in any of the communities affected in these fires afterwards? Let me switch up the questions here. Do you care about any of the serious issues affecting black communities? Why don't you care about gang violence, lack of jobs, below average school systems, undiagnosed mental health problems,crack being put in black communities through the CIA? Until you care about even 1 of these issues don't ask "why don't black people feel this way". Not only is it a baseless, ignorant and uninformed question, it's also an extremely weak and cowardly way to show your bigotry because if you really were watching this wondering that, you're the lowest type of person, trash, as well as a waste of life. Try harder with your prejudice next time

[@rudem.2973]

This is very sad. All these people that past away in the fire. They were not warned in time. Plus sadly some were trapped by the fire. I would visit in the mountains. I would personally never buy a house in the mountains. There is always the chance of a forest fire. The house might be five miles from a fire its the flying ambers that fly with the wind in a forest fire. So if your house is not fire proof it will burn to the ground. If I have the money to have a house. My house would be build with steel and concrete under ground about twenty feet under ground. I also would have a huge water tank. The water tank would be designed to convert water to oxygen. So I could have fresh clean air under ground. Like a submaine does. I also would have well structured and re-enforced shipping containers. With a concrete and steel tunnels to walk under ground to my shipping containers. Each shipping container would have a purpose. ( 1.) One would store my Sun Run back up Solar Power Battery for home elecricity. ( 2.) Then one to keep meats friozen if I need to be under ground for a while. ( 3.) This one shipping container would be used as a big refrigerator . For foods and lots of bottled drinking water. Plus medicine from the hospital. Under ground would have a under ground parking garage . Big kitchen . Big Den and dinning room. Then ten feet in front of the house would have a elevator to safely go to the top. With a submarine scope to see if there is still a fire. Or a small hole to sent out a drone to see if there still is a fire. On top of the house would be a round cylander shaped house made of concrete ,steel and brick. With in deep beautiful windows that can be covered by a type of fire resistant material. So the fire does not break the windows and catch the inside of the top house on fire. This I would do if I had the money to build a fire proof house. Plus : Water spriklers that stay on, if the fire sensor indicated a fire. This is if I had the money.

[@ricktandron3669]

Thoughts and prayers for the victims. Allegedly caused by a gender reveal party. Sad.

[@mitchell3877]

Fucking figures 😢

[@user-ym2in6so3l]

Newsom's forestry management really starting to pay off.

[@danielsmith337]

Why would anyone wana live there for 38 years

[@firewatch814]

Because it was pretty a nice area to live.

[@lizzydog5728]

Methane levels are so high that our" yellow" sun has turned into a" blurry orange blob"!! Methane blocks blue light waves creating the orange!

[@nickfish629]

Conspiracy! Cover up!

[@hlubtshaajtxujsa494]