FRESNO, CA

Afterburn: The Creek Fire Documentary will share the heart wrenching stories of families who lost their homes, their livelihoods and their way of life during the 2020 Creek Fire that burned nearly 380,000 acres before being contained on December 24, 2020. First responders, already stretched thin due to ongoing wildfires in the state, worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames and to ensure the safety of the residents and visitors during the evacuation process.

During the largest single fire in California’s history, Jeff Aiello and his wife Jill Aiello saw the need to inform residents of the impending danger the wildfire posed to their homes and safety. Jeff said, “At the same time people were being evacuated, I was driving up with my family to spend the weekend with friends at their cabin in Beasore Meadows. So many people, just like us, who didn’t know what the fire was doing, kept driving up to the path of the Creek Fire, oblivious of the danger.”

This prompted the Aiellos to start the Facebook Group – Talk of the Hill, to report information directly to the residents living in the path of the wildfire. Jeff would provide almost daily updates during the Creek Fire.

On Tuesday evening, Valley PBS hosted a preview screening of the documentary at the China Peak Mountain Resort. The station wanted to give those affected by the fire an opportunity to watch the film before the broadcast premiere on Thursday, September 30 at 7pm.