Following our blog post on how the story of the Esperanza Fire west of Palm Springs is being made into a feature film, we thought we’d point you to ten of our favorite wildfire videos and documentaries from the past few years. Like many wildfire experts, our favorite videos include exciting footage from the fire line showing not only the true power, danger, and humbling awesomeness of a wildfire, but also the courage and skill displayed by the men and women who fight it.
We’re fascinated by time-lapse videos as they showcase fires moving and large smoke columns building. We also enjoy some of the great documentaries made in recent years, many of which cover topics ranging from the history of fighting fires to profiles of the brave wildland crews who work tirelessly to protect life and property. We’re also advocates of a series of excellent informational videos on fire science and defensible space created by Jack Cohen, one of the preeminent researchers in the wildfire industry.
Footage from the front lines
Rim Fire Flight
Amazing lead plane flight along the uncontrolled head of the Rim Fire in the Yosemite area.
Geronimo Hot Shots
Awesome GoPro footage of hand crews in the field.
‘The Atlantic’ Documentary on them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=106tOoXVsxQ
Erskine Damage Drone Footage
Terrible devastation this summer in the Lake Isabella are in Kern County where 309 structures were burned.
Fort McMurray Fire Escape
The video shows residents fleeing the Fort McMurray Fire early in May. The fire burned almost 1.5 million acres and destroyed 2,400 structures.
Time-Lapse Videos
Waldo Fire (Colorado Springs, CO 2012)
Pyrocumulous Rey Fire (Santa Barbara County, CA 2016)
Soberanes Fire (Big Sur, CA 2016)
Wildfire History
The Big Burn
At a runtime of 45 minutes, this documentary on the major fires of 1910 in Montana highlights the start of the United States Forest Service and wildland firefighting as we know them today.
Fire Science
Radiant Heat vs. Firebrands
Your Home Can Survive a Wildfire
