Paul Greengrᴀss’ The Lost Bus tells a true story of remarkable heroism during California’s most devastating wildfire. The 2018 Camp Fire in California’s ʙuттe County is the ᴅᴇᴀᴅliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history. The fire led to much tragedy within the state, but there were also inspiring moments of bravery, including one highlighted in this film.

The Lost Bus recently premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, and has a limited theatrical release starting on September 19. It is based on the novel Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Lizzie Johnson. It centers on Kevin McKay, a bus driver who navigated children and a few teachers to safety during the wildfire.

The film stars Matthew McConaughey in the lead role, alongside America Ferrera as Mary Ludwig, a teacher who ᴀssists McKay during the drive. It received strong reviews from critics, and currently holds an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Lost Bus is an inspiring story, but only recounts a few of the people whose lives were impacted by the catastrophic wildfire.

The Lost Bus Is Based On California’s 2018 Camp Fire

Wildfires are unfortunately a common occurrence in California. Much of Southern California is still recovering from the fires that impacted Los Angeles and the surrounding area earlier this year. In 2018, California experienced its worst wildfire in terms of deaths and damages. According to ABC 7, the Nov. 2018 Camp Fire in ʙuттe County included 18,804 destroyed structures, 153,336 acres burned, and 86 deaths.

The fire started near the Feather River Canyon in ʙuттe County, CA, north of Sacramento. According to EBSCO, the fire was fueled by “ᴅᴇᴀᴅ brush and trees,” but escalated due to “dry winds funneled down the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east.” It was a quick-moving firestorm that reportedly consumed about “80 acres a minute.”

The fire quickly reached Paradise, a community of about 27,000 people. Residents were ordered to evacuate, but many were trapped in their homes due to the fire’s rapid pace. Firefighters did their best to rescue as many people as possible and contain as much of the fire as they could, but the fire still did sizable damage, destroying roughly 13,696 homes.

While dry conditions created a hazardous powder keg, the fire’s origin was linked to Pacific Gas & Electric. In 2019, California fire officials stated that electrical transmission lines owned by PG&E caused the fire. The company plead guilty to 84 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, and reached a settlement for damages valued at $13.5 billion.

According to CBS News, On November 8, McKay responded to an emergency call. He went to Ponderosa Elementary School, picked up 22 students, and drove them away from the wildfires. He was accompanied by two teachers, Mary Ludwig and Abbie Davis, who was not included in the film. Their long, stressful drive became the story behind The Lost Bus.

What Happened To Kevin McKay, Mary Ludwig, & The 22 Kids In Real Life

True story adaptations almost always include dramatized versions of events, but McKay and Ludwig did successfully save 22 children in real life. According to The Washington Post, McKay was new to the school district, but not new to the area. He had taken a job as a bus driver while pursuing an education degree at the local community college.

On the day of the fire, he was close to the elementary school and offered to help. McKay drove the bus, while Ludwig and Davis took care of the children, allowing McKay to focus on escaping the area safely. McKay told CNN it looked like they were “headed into Mordor,” referencing the fiery realm from Lord of the Rings.

The bus repeatedly got stuck in the gridlock of cars trying to flee the area, causing smoke starting to fill the kids’ lungs. McKay and the teachers improvised. He took his shirt off, and tore it into smaller pieces. They doused the cloth strips with water, and gave them to the kids so they could breathe better.

The Washington Post reported that the school bus arrived at Biggs elementary, about 25 miles South of Paradise. They arrived at 2 p.m., nearly six hours later. Ponderosa Elementary School was badly damaged during the fire. McKay’s house was destroyed, as well as Davis’. However, the 22 children were safe, along with McKay and the other pᴀssengers.

The Lost Bus condenses the six-hour journey into a 2 hour and 9 minute runtime for the film, so there are likely many details that are left out. The film is currently in select theaters, but will release on Apple TV+ on October 3, 2025. Still, there is plenty of information online regarding The Lost Bus‘ events and the larger wildfire.