Fires in California: the story of the gripping film The Lost Bus
8 october 2025 в 23:13
Forest fires in California in recent years have kept the entire country on edge. Dry conditions make it difficult to prevent and extinguish fires on the West Coast. Nine months after a series of fires destroyed several cities in Los Angeles, the premiere of the Apple TV+ series «The Lost Bus» took place, starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera, focused on the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise in northern California.
Considered the deadliest forest fire in the state’s history, with 85 fatalities, the Camp Fire started due to a faulty transmission line of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The flames destroyed over 18,000 buildings and forced more than 50,000 people to evacuate the area. Smoke covered neighboring counties for almost three weeks until the fire was extinguished.
Below, Hollywood Life explains the real story behind «The Lost Bus», - where the film was shot, and more about the cast.
Although the action takes place in Paradise, California, where the Camp Fire raged, «The Lost Bus» was filmed in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Kevin McKay, played by McConaughey, was the real bus driver who inspired the character on screen. The film was directly based on one of the stories from Lizzie Johnson’s book «Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire» from 2021.
On November 8, 2018, McKay responded to a call to rescue 22 children and two teachers from Ponderosa Elementary School from a rapidly spreading forest fire. McKay led them through 30 miles of thick smoke and fire for five hours until they reached safety, he told CBS News that year. Two teachers used torn pieces of his shirt to avoid inhaling smoke.
Unlike his character in the film, McKay’s real family had already been evacuated when he responded to the call for help.
«I just knew the situation was only going to get worse», - McKay told CBS in 2018. «We didn’t leave until every child was accounted for, and every child was with their mom and dad».
The second teacher did not want to participate in the film, so on screen, only Ferrera’s character, Mary Ludwig, is depicted.
In addition to McConaughey, McKay, and Ferrera Ludwig, the rest of the cast includes Yul Vazquez as Ray Martinez, Cal Fire division chief, Ashley Atkinson as Ruby, bus depot dispatcher, Levi McConaughey (McConaughey's real-life son) as Sean McKay, Kevin’s son, Kate Wharton as Jen Kissun, Cal Fire battalion chief, Danny McCarthy as McKenzie, Spencer Watson as Hopkins, Nathan Gariti as Levi, and Gary Kraus as Sheriff Thomas
Considered the deadliest forest fire in the state’s history, with 85 fatalities, the Camp Fire started due to a faulty transmission line of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The flames destroyed over 18,000 buildings and forced more than 50,000 people to evacuate the area. Smoke covered neighboring counties for almost three weeks until the fire was extinguished.
Below, Hollywood Life explains the real story behind «The Lost Bus», - where the film was shot, and more about the cast.
Although the action takes place in Paradise, California, where the Camp Fire raged, «The Lost Bus» was filmed in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Kevin McKay, played by McConaughey, was the real bus driver who inspired the character on screen. The film was directly based on one of the stories from Lizzie Johnson’s book «Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire» from 2021.
On November 8, 2018, McKay responded to a call to rescue 22 children and two teachers from Ponderosa Elementary School from a rapidly spreading forest fire. McKay led them through 30 miles of thick smoke and fire for five hours until they reached safety, he told CBS News that year. Two teachers used torn pieces of his shirt to avoid inhaling smoke.
Unlike his character in the film, McKay’s real family had already been evacuated when he responded to the call for help.
«I just knew the situation was only going to get worse», - McKay told CBS in 2018. «We didn’t leave until every child was accounted for, and every child was with their mom and dad».
The second teacher did not want to participate in the film, so on screen, only Ferrera’s character, Mary Ludwig, is depicted.
In addition to McConaughey, McKay, and Ferrera Ludwig, the rest of the cast includes Yul Vazquez as Ray Martinez, Cal Fire division chief, Ashley Atkinson as Ruby, bus depot dispatcher, Levi McConaughey (McConaughey's real-life son) as Sean McKay, Kevin’s son, Kate Wharton as Jen Kissun, Cal Fire battalion chief, Danny McCarthy as McKenzie, Spencer Watson as Hopkins, Nathan Gariti as Levi, and Gary Kraus as Sheriff Thomas
© Artemenko Olga
