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Virgin River is under threat. In season 5 of the Netflix drama, the picture-perfect small town faces a disaster that has become increasingly common for many Americans: wildfire.  

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Virgin River Season 5.]

A wildfire threatens ‘Virgin River’ in season 5 

Preacher and Hope watching a wildfire on the other side of the river in 'Virgin River' Season 5
‘Virgin River’ Season 5 | Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

Though Virgin River is filmed in British Columbia, the show is set in northern California. It’s a picturesque part of the state, but one that’s also prone to devastating fires. In 2018, 85 people died when a fire tore through the small town of Paradise in Butte County. In 2020, the August Complex fire burned more than 1 million acres. Given the setting, it makes sense that Virgin River eventually incorporated a wildfire storyline into the show. 

In season 5, a fire breaks out not far from Virgin River. At first, it seems like it won’t be a huge deal. But eventually, the situation turns dire. As firefighters from CalFire battle the blaze, the residents of Virgin River band together to save the town and keep each other safe. 

‘Virgin River’ survived the fire, but not every community is so lucky 

Aerial view of burned out homes and cars in Lahaina
Burned cars and homes in a Lahaina neighborhood destroyed by a wildfire | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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In Virgin River, the fire comes dangerously close to destroying the town. Thanks to Hope’s (Annette O’Toole) evacuation plan, all residents are able to make it to safety, though some of them lose their homes. The quick-thinking Brady (Ben Hollingsworth) lights a backfire that saves Jack’s bar. And Jack (Martin Henderson) teams up with a local pilot to dump water on the flames, which prevents the fire from destroying more structures. 

“We will rise from the ashes,” Hope declares in the aftermath of the disaster.

In the end, the residents of Virgin River come through the crisis shaken and battered, but mostly OK. Sadly, that’s not the case for everyone who experiences a fire. In early August, a fire on the island of Maui in Hawaii almost completely leveled the town of Lahaina and killed at least 115 people. Hundreds more are still missing. 

Even people who don’t live in areas traditionally at risk of fire are feeling the effects. Smoke from massive Canadian wildfires has affected air quality in cities such as New York and Chicago this summer. Overall, 16% of Americans now live in wildfire-prone areas, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. Fires are also becoming more frequent and severe, meaning many people would be wise to take a clue from Virgin River’s Hope and develop with a plan to deal with fire risk.

“If you’re in anything but the lowest risk category, you should be talking to your neighbors about risk mitigation and what you can do,” Greg Dillon, director of the Forest Service’s Fire Modeling Institute, told The New York Times. “In a lot of the United States, there’s a potential for fire.”

Virgin River Season 5 Episodes 1-10 are now streaming on Netflix. 

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