Red Cross On Film: The Lost Bus - Our volunteers in action

The massive “Camp Fire” engulfed much of Butte County, CA, in 2018. It took nearly two weeks to contain the fire, during which time over 50,000 people were displaced.

As smoke and ash enveloped communities across the state, American Red Cross volunteers and employees were there to offer relief and comfort to wildfire survivors.

Working alongside government and community partners, they helped provide refuge for tens of thousands who fled their homes as fires threatened and provided warm meals, relief items and cleanup supplies—as well as sorely needed emotional support and spiritual care for heartbroken residents and their families.

The Red Cross, in coordination with first responders and other agencies, was on the scene to provide shelter, meals & snacks, comfort & clean-up kits, case work and mental health services.

197,892

Meals & Snacks Served

42,239

Overnight Shelter Stays

icon of a volunteer wearing a red cross vest

1,182

Volunteers Activated

The Lost Bus - a Movie from Apple Original Films

While totally devastating to area residents, the community came together to help save as many lives as possible. One of these real-life stories follows a school bus driver and a dedicated school teacher from Paradise, CA, as they battle to save 22 children from the inferno. This story is the inspiration for “The Lost Bus,” a new movie from Apple Original Films.

As production began, the Red Cross was asked to review the script and advise on our real-world presence and service delivery in response to this disaster in 2018. We then had actual Red Cross volunteers, vehicles and supplies on-set to depict our role at the “Camp Fire” Emergency Operations Center in Chico, CA.

red cross volunteers look over fire damaged vehicles

In Her Own Words...

Linda Crowden, a long-time Red Cross volunteer, deployed to this disaster in 2018 and then had the opportunity to serve as an extra in the film.

In Linda’s own words, “I just hit 30 years with the Red Cross and it’s been an amazing journey and privilege. It was so interesting [to be on-set]. I’ve always been a movie buff but getting to have that behind-the-scenes action was really interesting. They wanted us to just be real people which was refreshing. [In this film], they’re telling the story of these folks and how they tried to get to safety.”

red cross emergency response vehicle driving under a smoke filled sky

Learn About our Response to the 2018 California Wildfires

On November 8, the deadly Camp Fire wiped out nearly the entire town of Paradise as well as nearby communities, leaving heartbroken survivors struggling to get back on their feet. Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire in Southern California forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes as it scorched large swaths of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Wherever these disasters struck, dedicated American Red Cross volunteers and employees were on hand, providing relief and comfort to tens of thousands of Californians as they faced heartbreaking losses and an uncertain future.

Discover Our Wildfire Response

Be Prepared for Wildfires

Wildfires affect everyone. They can spread fast and harm us. Wildfires are getting bigger and more
dangerous. More people are living in areas at risk for wildfires, but we can take action to prepare.

Learn how to prepare your household and community.

red cross volunteer looking at a burned out vehicle

Learn Wildfire Safety Tips

emergency response vehicle under a smoke fileld sky

How to prevent wildfires

red cross volunteer carrying empty cardboard boxes for making survival kits

Make a survival kit

You Can Make a Difference

In addition to being prepared for disasters in your area, you can help people affected by disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and numerous other crises, by making a gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small, whenever and wherever they occur across the country.

donate now

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The Red Cross: On Film