When the Creek Fire exploded in Fresno County in September of 2020, it became the largest wildfire in California history. Trapped by a "wall of flames," over 200 people were stranded at Mammoth Pool Reservoir with the fire closing in.
"Topping out combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, this was the hardest and most dangerous mission we've ever done." - Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond, pilot-in-command.
In this video, we go behind the cockpit with the California National Guard crew from the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade who flew the CH-47 Chinook helicopter into smoke-filled airspace after all other air assets were grounded for the night.
What You’ll Learn:
The Impossible Landing: How pilots touched down on a 13-degree boat ramp slope with fires dangerously close to the rotor systems.
Life-and-Death Decisions: The harrowing moment a mother handed her infant to a crew member, willing to stay behind to ensure her child's safety.
Pushing the Limits: How the Chinook crew managed a record-breaking lift of 101 people on a single flight, operating the aircraft at its absolute emergency power settings to clear the mountains.
The Toll of the Fire: First-hand accounts of the chaos on the ground, including rescuing victims with third-degree burns and broken bones.
This 7 hour mission was the largest helicopter rescue in National Guard history, saving a total of 242 lives between the Chinook and an accompanying Black Hawk. For their "valor and extraordinary achievement," the crews were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Donald Trump and the California Medal of Valor by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
While the National Guard helicopters performed the historic aerial rescues, the mission’s success relied on a massive, coordinated ground effort from local and state agencies. The crew noted that they had "a lot of great assets" like Cal Fire and law enforcement on the ground feeding them critical information throughout the entire mission. This life-saving operation was a true "team of teams" effort, made possible by the seamless support of:
First Responders & Fire: Cal Fire, Fresno County Fire, USFS, Clovis Fire Department, Fresno Fire Dept, Huntington Lake Fire, Auberry Fire Department, and the Shaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
Law Enforcement & Logistics: Fresno Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department, CHP, Caltrans, and the Clovis Police Department provided the ground intelligence and infrastructure needed to manage the chaos.
Medical & Humanitarian Aid: American Ambulance, Community Hospitals burn unit, and the Red Cross stood ready to treat victims suffering from broken limbs and severe third-degree burns.
"If it's life, limb, or eyesight... you're going to do what you got to do to help." -Sgt. 1st Class George Esquivel
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