Wildfire survivors share harrowing story of escape

At one point only 35 miles from the city of Fresno, California’s largest single wildfire in history continues to burn. The Creek Fire, despite scorching 330,000 acres as of Oct. 7, has claimed no lives thanks to heroic efforts by responders.

The Creek Fire started Sept. 4 near the town of Big Creek and Huntington Lake in the Sierra National Forest. Within 48 hours, hot, dry winds accelerated the blaze towards Mammoth Pool Reservoir, where hundreds of campers, including FCS student Elizabeth Baker, ’23, were spending their weekend.

Flames ignited every piece of vegetation surrounding Mammoth lake, with smoke completely blocking the sun. Over 200 people were rescued from this apocalyptic scene by the California Air National Guard, including Elizabeth Baker, ‘23. Baker and her family fled from the fire to take refuge in Mammoth Pool.

“We were at our campsite, it was my aunt and uncle and some of my friends, and we got a small warning that it was a couple mountains away,” Baker said. “Some of our friends took their ATVs and motorbikes, they went up to check how far away it was and they had gotten about half a mile away, and it was right there, on the road. So we packed up real quick, and by the time we were all done packing it was like five feet away.”

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“On our way to the lake, the road was actually on fire too,” Baker continued. “There was fire all around us. It seemed like we were on the lake for two hours, but it was only half an hour.”

Gaining national attention and a Distinguished Flying Cross medal from President Donald Trump, seven California Air National Guard airmen flew multiple missions in a CH-47 Chinook and a UH-60 Blackhawk, rescuing 242 people. Baker relates the relief felt when she heard the helicopters coming.

“I was scared, but happy when we found out the National Guard was coming to pick us up,” Baker said. “But scared the whole time.”

The Cal Guard pilots returned again and again into pitch darkness and intense winds until every camper was rescued. The California National Guard tweeted following President Trump’s awarding of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Photos from White House photog Shealah Craighead of Cal Guardsmen from the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross from Pres. Trump on Sept. 14, 2020, in Sacramento, for rescuing several hundred people trapped by the Creek Fire on Sept. 6, 2020. pic.twitter.com/WZj75sLmoj

— The California National Guard (@CalGuard) September 16, 2020

Other campers escaped death thanks to Cal Fire firefighters, Fresno County Sheriffs, and Sierra National Park Rangers. UCSB student and Clovis native Robert Philips was hiking nine miles from the nearest road when he realized he was in danger.

“About halfway on our hike out, a huge smoke cloud was already over top us, and that smoke cloud started to produce dry lightning strikes,” Phillips said. “So it was just rolling thunder, very daunting. The smoke was all over us, we could see the glow of the flame on the edge of the smoke ring up above us.”

Bryce Foshee interviews Creek Fire survivor Robert Phillips in the following podcast.

With every paved road overrun by flames, Phillips and his family thought there was no way out, until a Sierra National Forest Ranger informed them of an abandoned path. Phillip’s group decided to make the escape with two other parties, despite doubts if their vehicles could survive the off-road trek.

“I was terrified,” Phillips said. “We were all very very scared. There was a lot of debate when we were on the four-wheel road, because there was a lot of forks in the road, so we were all getting out of the car and talking about where we were going to go, and the debates got pretty heated because everyone was very nervous and very on edge.”

Creek Fire impacts Valley communities

Many FCS families own cabins or live in the Shaver lake mountain region only 60 miles from the school. Brynnor Poplin, ‘22, grew up visiting his grandparent’s cabin, which was leveled in the Creek Fire. He shares how the destruction of his grandparents cabin impacted him.

“I have spent many days working there,” Poplin said, “spending holidays there and wood working. I have had so many fun times and learned so much up there. I have realized how intense these fires can be and they are no joke. They do so much damage.”

Roads to Shaver lake were closed for nearly a month as firefighters battled to protect the town of Shaver. Before falling back, the Creek Fire destroyed historic Cressman’s General Store, a landmark for travellers since 1904.

Feather Adviser and professional photographer Kori James gained press access just hours after the fire decimated Cressman’s. James, who has spent countless childhood memories at a family cabin in Shaver was heartbroken as she drove through a familiar forest scorched by the fire.

“The forest was a charred skeleton of a once dense canopy of wooded green,” James said. “Cressman’s has always been the entry beacon to that region. When you got to Cressman’s and took that wide turn up into the forest you knew you were close to your destination. Heartbreaking to see it gone.”

The Creek Fire, along with the dozens of other fires currently burning on the west coast, have become a national weather phenomenon. For weeks, ash snowstorms and unhealthy air quality cancelled sports practices across the valley. Starting Sept. 14, eastbound winds partially cleared the sky, at the expense of pushing smoke and ash clouds as far east as Baltimore, Maryland.

While air quality currently allows for outdoor practices, thanks to winds blowing smoke out to the Pacific Ocean, the National Weather Service in Hanford warns winds may soon be squashed by a high-pressure system.

Here is a satellite perspective of where smoke is impacting CA at 8:40 am PDT. An offshore flow will continue to carry wildfire smoke westward for at least the next two days. This image shows a rather thick blanket of smoke covering the San Joaquin Valley.#cawx pic.twitter.com/qq3fClbJtc

— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) September 28, 2020

Now one month since ignition, 11 helicopters, hundreds of tons of machinery, and 2,025 responders are still battling the Creek Fire. At 49% containment as of Oct. 3, Cal Fire expects to fully contain the fire on Oct. 31.

For a live view of wildfires burning throughout California, visit Cal Fire’s website. Read previous articles about California wildfires.

Video below is the view of the drive towards Shaver Lake just hours after the destruction of  Cressman’s General Store. Video edited by Micah Friesen.

Creek Fire from The Feather Online on Vimeo.

Bryce Foshee can be reached via Twitter @brycer_f and via email.

Image slideshow of Creek Fire destruction and perspectives from those we interviewed.

Gallery • 13 Photos