On November 8, 2018, the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history began. By the time it would finally be extinguished, the fast-moving Camp Fire had burned an area the size of Chicago, destroyed approximately 30,000 homes, decimated the town of Paradise, and killed 85 people. Fire in Paradise shares tales of both miraculous escape and unfathomable loss—and raises tough questions about who and what are to blame for the fire’s catastrophic toll, drawing on firsthand accounts from survivors, first responders, and local authorities, as well as harrowing footage filmed by those in the path of the inferno. The film traces how the blaze was sparked by a failed power line belonging to the country’s largest energy company, PG&E—who had previously been warned that its transmission towers were aging and components might fail. The documentary also reveals how the blaze quickly overwhelmed the area’s firefighting resources—and how, even as the blaze hurtled towards Paradise rapidly, the town’s residents were being told the fire was not a danger when they called 911 to report smoke and ash. The film also investigates why many residents weren’t officially alerted to evacuate until it was too late—if at all.

Fire in Paradise examines how climate change has contributed to making fires bigger and more frequent.