Intense Body Cam Footage Shows Urgent Evacuations During the Mill Fire
When the Mill Fire erupted in Lake Shastina over Labor Day Weekend, the nearby community couldn’t have been prepared for what was coming toward their homes. The fire moved dangerously and swiftly, quickly burning 118 structures and killing two people.
The day the fire broke out was a day some people will never forget in Lake Shastina, when the flames moved from home to home, wiping out an entire neighborhood as it eventually grew to 3,935 acres. The people who lived in the neighborhood had to evacuate quickly, and now we can see just how urgent the evacuations were.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff released body cam footage of the urgent evacuations and it shows the stress and danger of the situation. Here is some of the footage:
“We can’t get clothes on, we don’t have time!” was the most telling quote of this video, showing the rate of speed the fire was spreading through the area. The law enforcement officers, who showed great bravery and dedication during this evacuation, were clearly fearful of the impact of the incoming flames to the community.
The video also shows the danger to elderly and disabled people in the event of an urgent evacuation. In this case, the man had to crawl outside to safety.
For reference, here’s a video of a home burning in the fire:
