Lessons in Fire

Across Europe, wildfires are escalating, reshaping landscapes and lives. In Portugal, where the fires rage every summer, veteran firefighters have spent decades battling the flames. In the north, Finland—once untouched by such disasters—is preparing for a future where wildfires are no longer a distant threat.
 
To meet the challenge, a newly formed Finnish firefighting unit travels south, stepping into the blazing heart of a crisis they have never experienced before. Their mission: to learn from the Portuguese, who have fought these fires their entire lives. But wildfires are unpredictable, and no amount of training can fully prepare them for what they will face.
 
In Portugal’s burning forests, the air is thick with smoke, the heat relentless. The Finnish firefighters—accustomed to ice and snow—must adapt quickly. Their high-tech methods clash with the Portuguese approach, which relies on instinct, speed, and hard-earned wisdom. The fire itself is treated as a living force, known simply as Him—respected but never underestimated.
 
Through searing imagery and body-mounted cameras, the audience is placed inside the inferno, feeling every burst of heat, every moment of urgency. Exhaustion, fear, and determination push the teams forward as they fight together, forming bonds forged in fire.
 
More than a documentary about firefighting, Lessons in Fire is an immersive journey into the frontline of climate change. It captures the raw intensity of the battle, the resilience of those who fight, and the hard truth that wildfire knows no borders. In a world that burns hotter each year, survival depends on working together.
 
DIRECTOR: John Webster
SCRIPT: John Webster
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jarkko T. Laine
EDITING: Niels Pagh Andersen, John Webster
SOUND: Pietari Koskinen
PRODUCERS: Marko Talli, Eveliina Kantola
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Yellow Film & TV