40th CAB quickly reacts to Fresno residents stranded by Creek Fire

Nearly 400 residents of Fresno County, California, disembark a California Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook after being rescued from the Creek Fire Sept. 8, 2020, at the Cal Guard Fresno Aviation Base. Four Cal Guard helicopters were sent to retrieve trapped hikers, campers and others in the Sierra National Forest. Cal Guard aviators, relying on night vision goggles, made daring rescues starting early in the morning. The Creek Fire — one of the state’s largest blazes this year — ravaged more than 180,000 acres in less than a week, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes and trapping hikers and campers in areas unable to reach by land vehicles. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)