I grew up in Nevada County, living in the communities of Nevada City, Rough and Ready, and Grass Valley. I began my short career with CDF in 1990, during a time when the area was still reeling from a long-term drought. From 1990 to 1995, I worked as a seasonal fire fighter at the Nevada City station (Station 20) and spent my last season in Colfax (Station 30). Those years were formative for me and left a lasting impression I’ve never been able to shake.
In 1988, two years before I joined CDF, I was living with my family on Lightning Tree Road, just below the Washington Ridge Conservation Camp. I remember the night before September 11—the winds howled like screaming banshees rushing toward the Sacramento Valley below. The power flickered throughout the night, but the spark that changed everything for Nevada County ignited just as the sun began to rise over the foothills. The 49er Fire sprang to life and didn’t stop for two days.
What stood out most to me when the fire raged through the scrub oak was how relentlessly the air tankers worked, from sunup to sundown. I would ask myself: How do these pilots eat or go to the bathroom? Who are they? Who fills the retardant? Who is the air attack, and do they not get dizzy flying circles all day long? That curiosity fuels my desire today to tell the story of both the past and present.
This film will explore history of the Grass Valley Air Attack Base, showcasing both its past and present operations. A focal point of this narrative is the 49er Fire of 1988, which swept through Nevada and Yuba Counties. Sparked near Highway 49, the fire’s destructive force tested the resolve of the firefighting community during extreme drought and winds. The fire’s journey through 33,700 acres highlights the critical role the Air Attack Base played, not only in battling the blaze but in sustaining the enduring connection between fire crews and the local communities who have weathered these challenges together.
Through this lens, we aim to uncover the base’s significance, not only as a hub of aerial firefighting but as a symbol of unity in the face of adversity. We seek to capture the unique symbiosis between the base and the communities nestled in and around Nevada City, Grass Valley, and the Sierra Nevada front range, extending up through Tahoe. These partnerships, forged in the crucible of countless fire seasons, stand as a testament to resilience and unity amid the ever-present threat of wildfire.