In 2020, CalGuard crews rescued 242 people trapped by California's Creek Fire
A mini-documentary highlights the 2020 California National Guard rescue mission that saved 242 people trapped by the Creek Fire. Pilots used night-vision goggles to navigate through thick smoke and flames to reach stranded civilians in the Sierra National Forest.
Why it matters
This event represents a significant milestone in aviation history and emergency response, demonstrating the effectiveness of specialized nighttime firefighting operations.
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. A new mini-documentary shared by Governor Gavin’s office recounts the extraordinary nighttime mission that rescued 242 people.The extraordinary nighttime rescueIt started on September 4, 2020, in the Sierra National Forest and burned with the kind of speed that leaves no time for evacuation protocols. 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.
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