A new mini-documentary shared by Governor Gavin’s office recounts the extraordinary nighttime mission that rescued 242 people. It’s been six years since the Creek Fire rescue changed nighttime firefighting forever, after California National Guard crews flew into a wall of fire and smoke in the largest helicopter rescue in Guard history and saved all of them in seven hours.
It started on September 4, 2020, in the Sierra National Forest and burned with the kind of speed that leaves no time for evacuation protocols. Leaving fate to decide the lives of 242 people wasn’t an option the California National Guard (CalGuard) aircrews were considering. A mini-documentary, ‘Beyond the Limits: Creek Fire Rescue’, was released, which tells the story of the rescue through the eyes of the pilots and flight crews who carried out the mission.
Our ongoing commitment to training, innovation, and teamwork ensures that when Californians need us most, we stand ready—stronger together,” CAL FIRE Chief Deputy Director of Operations Anale Burlew said. By Labor Day weekend, hundreds of people were fleeing for their lives as flames surrounded Mammoth Pool Reservoir. The smoke was so thick that civilian pilots couldn’t risk flying. As evening fell, the options began to narrow. The people were still there, and the fire showed no signs of calming down. Hundreds of people were stranded. So the CalGuard crew from the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade decided to fly into the fire after dark. Their only edge? Night-vision goggles. It shows how they made life-or-death decisions as the fire closed in. The rescue undoubtedly became historic in California’s evolution of nighttime wildfire response. The rescue showed what was possible when specialised military aviation capabilities could operate after dark. The rescue was a collective effort. The Cal Guard aircrews worked alongside CAL FIRE, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), local fire departments, law enforcement, emergency medical providers and other partners on the ground to coordinate intelligence, evacuations, medical care and logistics. Teams on the ground provided critical intelligence, evacuation support, medical care and logistics as the Guard crews worked from the air. “The Creek Fire rescue showed us what’s possible when agencies unite in the face of crisis. The collaboration between CAL FIRE, the California National Guard, Cal OES, local responders, and countless partners was more than a coordinated effort—it was a testament to the power of partnership. “California’s first responders and emergency managers answer the call to serve their communities every day, often stepping forward during the most difficult and dangerous moments. Cal OES is proud to have supported the heroic actions of the California National Guard aircrews during the Creek Fire by coordinating across agencies and disciplines, so they had the support they needed to protect lives, safeguard communities, and keep Californians safe when it mattered most,” Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs added.
Today, California continues to expand nighttime aviation capabilities, training CAL FIRE and Cal Guard crews who work together around the clock when wildfires threaten communities.
