CBS - Fire Country

General Discussion
#1

Comment from the Cal Fire Director on an upcoming TV series:

From: Executive@CALFIRE
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 7:35:11 PM
To: All CalFire Mailboxes
Subject: CBS Series Fire Country

As many of you are aware, last week a new television series on CBS called “Fire Country” began garnering attention on the internet and social media. The drama series relates to inmate firefighters working for a fire agency called CAL FIRE. I want to be clear that CAL FIRE, CDCR, nor CAL FIRE Local 2881, had any involvement with this television series.

This television series is a misrepresentation of the professional all-hazards fire department and resource protection agency that CAL FIRE is. The dramatization of inmate firefighters fighting members of CAL FIRE is a poor reflection of the value of our Camps Program and the incredible work and leadership of our Fire Captains who supervise our handcrews.

While we cannot prevent this television series from airing, I believe it is important for each of you to hear from me directly that the Department was not involved in its creation or support.
Should you receive any media inquiries or requests for comment, please forward requests to our Sacramento Communications Program.

Please know that I am incredibly proud of the work that each of you do every day and look forward to the progress we make together serving the people of California.

Respectfully,
Joe Tyler
Director/Fire Chief
CAL FIRE

15 Likes
Cal Fire TV Show
#2

And from L2881

Brothers and Sisters of CAL FIRE,

Yesterday, Chief Tyler sent the following message:

“As many of you are aware, last week a new television series on CBS called “Fire Country” began garnering attention on the internet and social media. The drama series relates to inmate firefighters working for a fire agency called CAL FIRE. I want to be clear that CAL FIRE, CDCR, nor CAL FIRE Local 2881, had any involvement with this television series. This television series is a misrepresentation of the professional all-hazards fire department and resource protection agency that CAL FIRE is. The dramatization of inmate firefighters fighting members of CAL FIRE is a poor reflection of the value of our Camps Program and the incredible work and leadership of our Fire Captains who supervise our handcrews. While we cannot prevent this television series from airing, I believe it is important for each of you to hear from me directly that the Department was not involved in its creation or support.”

I want to emphasize that we were not involved in the creation or production of the show, and we do not endorse the series. This show misrepresents the leadership and bravery of the men and women of CAL FIRE. We have spoken with our legal team, and we cannot prevent the series from airing or using the CAL FIRE name. Our Trademark attorneys are drafting a letter to CBS and the producers of the show. We are hoping to have a disclaimer added to the beginning or end of each episode stating that we had no part in creating this series and do not support the representation of our department in the show.

Stay the course,
Tim Edwards

———————————

5 Likes
#3

Well said. Ill bet it gets canceled after one tv show season.

4 Likes
#4

Just watched the trailer. Good grief.

3 Likes
#5

The trailer looks like what would happen if Station 19 and Firestorm were combined to make a show to play during midday on the Hallmark Channel.

8 Likes
#6

I may be a harsh critic, but of all the things going on in the wildland fire service, this does not pay homage to the struggles any of us are challenged with. You have federal wildland fire employees who can’t make a livable wage. You have an employee recruitment and retention issue amongst every single wildland agency out there. You have mental health struggles amongst all of our agencies regardless of patch. But yet, this is the best way to pay tribute? By fantasizing and dramatizing the hard work WE ALL do and making it into this garbage??? Clearly they didn’t work with agency or labor organizations to help paint that picture. Man…opportunity lost. I realize it’s a work of fiction. But you know how that works. It’s all sunshine and rainbows…CBS tells us so…

9 Likes
#7

What garbage. Just watched trailer on YouTube and was embarrassed for CBS. If you feel the same let them know @ Show Feedback . I wasnt a huge fan of the Discovery show “Wildfire” but at least that what somewhat based in reality.

1 Like
#8

Absolute bunch of garbage.
As if we need people that believe everything they see on tv judging the fire service for a make believe show.

3 Likes
#9

I showed my GF the trailer. She said she’s in. Said don’t make me start watching Chicago Fire again. FML. 🤦

3 Likes
#10

FML is what I was thinking too

1 Like
#11

Bring back Emergency (Squad 51).
Good old Johnny and Roy.

17 Likes
#12

Just saw a commercial for this while watching 60 min.
I can’t wait for the episode where they do yard work at HQ all day.

16 Likes
#13

Oh i hope one is assigned to an IMT! Oh the shenanigans to portray in an episode. The rogue resource unit leaders building the 204s with the resources they “know” that division needs, full on fist fights at the planning meeting between Logs and ops over lunches, someone says “nope i cant support this plan” but who? SITL is put on a 5150 hold because he has had it with everyone wanting their own custom map, he gets UTF on every remote sensing platform known on this planet and the deputy IC is never on time to sign the damn 209, oh and the internet is crap and nobody knows what ATAK is so he has lost it big time. Someones laundry is lost, hotshot crew cant get an S number for a saw they blew up and the captain is in finance having a temper tantrum. Fuel tender mistakenly puts gasoline in 100 diesel engines and crew buggies. Crew gets spiked out and smoked in for days and has to resort to hunting wild game to survive. Dont get me started on the shower trailer scene…

40 Likes
#14

Now THAT show would be worth watching.

7 Likes
#15

That would be a damn good show :joy:.

3 Likes
#16

Inmate FF saved the day.

#17

A couple of interesting items that I picked from watching it, they mentioned the Hanley Fire, which did occur in 1964, my dad was assigned to it. But, they also made mention that it hadn’t burned since then, which it did in 2017 in the Tubbs Fire. Also, they are using 15xx series numbering which is Marin County, not CalFire. They would have been more accurate to use 13xx numbers since LNU since the consolidation of Sonoma into the Unit has been using 14xx numbers. One other fact that was accurate is that they mentioned there being a dozer in Glen Ellen, which is Sta 46. 1442 is quartered there.

4 Likes
#18

I’m Sorry, worst show ever. All the strides we have made since I started in 1990, and this just makes CAL FIRE look inept. I’m not complaining about the story per se, but really, no grooming standards, BC riding on an engine, no care about power lines down. Copter 105 appears out of nowhere and saves the day. Now I know why the department was so upset about this. I thought out logo was copyrighted.

2 Likes
#19

Anything Hollywood has ever put out depicting their perception of how things really are is flawed. It just happens, this time, it’s us they’re trying to portray. I take anything Hollywood ever puts out as pure garbage because they way overdramatize everything thinking those area they are attempting to portray somehow fits into their fantasy world or if it doesn’t they have to change it so that it will. They have no clue what we do or what the military does, ex. Seal Team.

We are rightfully upset that a show which could be great viewing for an audience is completely flawed with Hollywood fakery. It’s fun to dissect it, but at the end of the day, the people I took an oath to protect know what we sacrifice to try to keep them safe. What Hollywood does with that, doesn’t change who I am or how I do my job

5 Likes
#20

Was Cal Fire asked to consult in the making of this travesty, maybe they were and saw this crap for what it is, and said NO THANK YOU very much…Very rarely does any one really do the wildland fire service justice in telling a truthful story about the work we do…with maybe one exception (Red Sky’s Over Montana) Richard Widmark…So many great quotes…I wish I could locate it on DVD…Many will now know what Cal Fire does for a living…the cat is out of the bag…I only hope you all can live up to these new realistic expectations…lol… We know that Cal Fire is a top notch outfit…have beem for a very long time now…