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Fire Chasers

Fire Chasers

2017Miniseries1 season4 episodesMidcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

As California's 2016 fire season rages, brave backcountry firefighters race to put out the flames, protect homes and save lives in this docuseries.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Fire Chasers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Fire Chasers streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Fire Chasers?

Fire Chasers earns 1 badge: Thought-provoking.

Reception

Is Fire Chasers worth watching?

Fire Chasers' Midcredits score is the 24th percentile of all shows, from 459 ratings across 2 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

24th percentile

Better received than 24% of shows

18th percentile among Documentary23rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)21st
Approval (how many liked it)29th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

63 /100

21st percentile of all shows

14th percentile among Documentary21st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

58% liked it

29th percentile of all shows

24th percentile among Documentary27th percentile among 2010s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

32nd percentile

448 ratings across platforms

56th percentile among Documentary39th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The series is an honest look at California firefighting, but its focus and pacing split viewers.

Fans praised

  • Authentic portrayal of CalFire and local California departments
  • Excellent photography and camera work
  • Eye-opening on wildfire devastation and prevention

Detractors panned

  • Misleading title implying profit-chasing
  • Too much focus on correctional firefighters, not enough on real firefighters
  • Too chatty and slow-paced

What stands out

Cinematography85

great camera work and fantastic shots

Atmosphere80

immersive depiction of firefighting reality

Emotional impact75

alarming and moving, especially personal loss

CharactersDivisive70

compelling personal story of a corrections firefighter

Originality65

unique inside look but misses broader scope

Plot and story55

narrow focus on California fires and corrections system

Pacing45

slower than typical, chatty at times

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2017 · 4 episodes

  • S1E1

    The New Normal

    Sep 8, 201757 min
  • S1E2

    After Burn

    Sep 8, 201753 min
  • S1E3

    Keep These Jackasses Wet

    Sep 8, 201758 min
  • S1E4

    The Art of Destruction

    Sep 8, 201750 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Fire Chasers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series presents the real-life dangers and personal stories with direct, unembellished observation.
The rideThe docuseries maintains a steady pressure of danger and urgency from start to finish.
StructureThe series follows a single fire season chronologically.
Episode formatThe docuseries follows the progression of the 2016 fire season as a continuous narrative across its four episodes.
Season formatThe show covers one fire season in one season and has concluded.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer with a sobering awareness of wildfire dangers and respect for firefighters.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeNon-narrative docuseries following real firefighters; no plot archetype applies.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

Survival · 12% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the immediate fight for survival against wildfires and the communal effort to protect lives and property.
StanceThe series neutrally documents the firefighters' work and the community's response to the fires.

The world

ContemporaryRuralWildernessInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingWildfire zones in California during the 2016 fire season

Content guide

Is Fire Chasers okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), language at severe (100/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea12
  • Austria14
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • ROAP
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Severe · 4 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 4 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Fire Chasers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Fire Chasers?

Crew

Directed by

Julian T. Pinder

Cinematography

Julian T. Pinder, Brandon Emery, Steven Holleran, Thomas Backer

Edited by

Carl DeGrazio, Ryan Philander, Jeremy Seifer, Rob Butler, Thomas Henry Durant, Isaiah Camp

Produced by

Dylan Russell, Julian T. Pinder, Arom Starr-Paul, Gary Plummer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Stelljes
+9 more, Phillip Watson, Clinton Edmondson, Thomas Backer, Molly Mayock, Danny Beaser, Scott Steindorff, Tessa Treadway, Jonathan Mussman, Sean Glynn

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