Synopsis

Every summer, the American West burns. As climate change has increased, average temperatures have risen, resulting in a sudden increase in both the frequency and intensity of wildfires. Inside each of these fires are small crews who work to contain them by hand, using shovels, pulaskis, and methods that haven't changed in sixty years. Filmed during two recent wildfire seasons, Young Men and Fire is a sweeping yet deeply personal account of a single wildland firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, dreams, and demons. What emerges is a rich story of working-class men - their exterior world, their interior lives and the fire that lies between.