Watch Firefighter's Intense Night Drive Through CA Wildfire

A terrifying video shot by a firefighter at the CZU Lightning Complex captures the intensity of driving through an active wildfire at night.

The video, which quickly went viral on social media, was shot by a firefight on Aug. 18 near midnight. The route took him on Highway 236 past the headquarters of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The park headquarters and visitor center burned to the ground last week.

Along the harrowing drive, the firefighter encounters active flames, sparks and embers blowing across the road and flying debris.

The CZU complex has burned more than 71,000 acres as of Sunday morning, including wide swaths of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California's oldest state park. Founded in 1902, it contains some of the oldest coastal redwoods in the state and may now be badly damaged.

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The clip serves as another reminder of why evacuation orders must be followed by law. Roadways quickly become dangerous, and routes must be kept clear for firefighters to quickly get from one scene to another.

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