Docuseries ‘Wildfire’ takes audience to front line

During the worst wildfire season in Canada’s history, two former B.C. firefighters suited up – not to join the fight but to film it.

Now, Simon Shave and Clayton Mitchell are ready to release their five-part docuseries, Wildfire, filmed in 2023. The series delves into the strategies used to fight the fires and tells the stories of the people who risked their lives.

“We know the communications, we know what happens on fires and we have all the safety courses, so through that we were allowed to get really on the front lines and get unprecedented footage,” said Simon Shave, co-director.

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The duo approached executive producer Kevin Eastwood of Optic Nerve Films to help bring the series to life.

“We couldn’t have expected, when we embarked on this project, that it would be the worst season on record, for acreage covered and also the lives lost,” said Eastwood.

One of those fires, the McDougall Creek wildfire, destroyed nearly 200 homes and scorched 13,500 hectares in the Central Okanagan.

“I was blown away by how many people (from) the community were showing up and stepping up to make donations and help people out,” said Eastwood.

“I think we can all use more stories like that and see that people generally do want to help out each other.”

Their efforts are ready to ignite screens through the Knowledge Network on April 29.

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