Video shows father, son, trying to drive through Howe Ridge Fire

A dramatic video shows a father and son trying to escape the Howe Ridge Fire as it burned across the North Lake McDonald Road Aug. 12.

Charles and Justin Bilton were camping at the Lake McDonald backcountry campground when the fire blew up.

The video shows them trying to escape as the fire closes in on the narrow road, which winds through the forest on the north side of lake.

In a video broadcast widely by national media outlets, it shows the pair as they drive down the road with the fire burning on both sides.

“Dad, the car is heating up, we’re going to explode,” Justin says to his father, 70.

Charles replies, “We’ll be all right.”

“God, help us,” Justin says.

In an interview with CBS News, Justin said it was “like driving into hell.”

Eventually the two ran into a down tree across the road, with fire burning all around.

“My heart just stopped, I thought we were dead,” Justin said.

But they were able to back up the car back to the trailhead, where they went down to the lake and were rescued by on off duty park ranger in a boat.

The rental car they were driving was destroyed in the fire.

Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said the men were boated back to their backcountry campsite to collect their belongings, then to park administrative offices, and then set them up with a campsite for the night in Apgar.

The CBS News story is available here: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/father-and-sons-daring-wildfire-escape-was-like-driving-into-hell/