They can’t get people out with helicopters. The aircraft can’t even fly some of the time because of the smoke. Thy also don’t fly in the dark. Sun up to sun down
Sunday night 10 vehicles with evacuees were following a sheriff’s vehicle on a back road trying to leave the Atlas Peak fire.
They got caught due to trees and powerlines falling on the road.
A CHP helicopter and his co pilot in the dark of night started rescuing those people in the dark with trees and power lines around them.
They successfully rescued 40 people, 5 dogs and 1 cat.
The pilot was interviewed and made what he did sound like just a job. If he and his copilot had not rescued those people with that night rescue, those 40 people, 5 dogs and 1 cat would probably be dead.