A recent video that surfaced on social media shows the dangerous living and driving conditions that many evacuees are facing due to wildfires in the area of Feather River Canyon near Paradise, California. Judging by the disturbing images, roads are lined with nature set ablaze and folks evacuating the area must bravely navigate the smoke-filled towns.
This video posted to Facebook by Brynn Parrott Chatfield shows walls of fire on each side of a major ride and practically zero visibility, leaving folks practically blind as they escape. Chatfield can be heard reacting to the fires on the video, at one point saying tearful prayers and thanking God for the bravery of the driver. When the car makes it out of the hellish scene, it’s possible to hear a sigh of relief as clearer skies and helicopters hauling water into the area can be seen rushing into the area.
“I feel very vulnerable posting this but I feel I should,” said Chatfield in the video caption. “My hometown of Paradise is on fire. My family is evacuated and safe. Not all my friends are safe. It’s very surreal. Things always work out, but the unknown is a little scary.”
While California is known for its wildfires, this particular situation escalated very quickly, catching many residents off-guard, and causing dramatic and fiery escapes like this one caught on video. This fire started during the early part of Thursday morning when dry landscape and high winds caused the blaze to rapidly spread. USA Today has reported injuries to firefighters and civilians, as well as accounts of unconfirmed deaths, although the scale of destruction is still unknown. Approximately 2,200 firefighters are currently in the Northern California area.
h/t: Gizmodo