The first major fire of the year erupts in Southern California, and engineer Dudley risks missing his daughter's birthday; in Redding, Station 43 gets a call to put down a fast-moving blaze in an area filled with dangerous power lines.

Lightning strikes in Monterey County ignite two deadly fires; Chief Campbell battles the River Fire while the Carmel Fire forces evacuations 10 miles away; when the River Fire suddenly turns toward base camp, it's an all-out race to stop it.

The Creek Fire, set to become the most destructive fire in California history, ignites in the Sierras and forces the rescue of campers trapped by flames; Chief Walker and crews battle the Valley Fire that threatens hundreds of homes.

Fire season intensifies with the El Dorado Fire that takes the life of a firefighter; a major structure inferno erupts and quickly becomes a five-alarm blaze; rookie firefighters are trained to become hand crews as resources are drained.

In a major escalation of fire season, multiple blazes tear through Napa as firefighters scramble to protect ancient redwood forests and dozens of wineries; Cal Fire's Honor Guard pays tribute to a fallen firefighter.

Cal Fire races to put down neighborhood fires in Southern California before they're fanned by the famed Santa Ana winds; when the winds strike with a vengeance, crews battle a tragic memory of the past as two big blazes escalate quickly.