Mobile phone footage has captured the terrifying moment a father and son battled to stay alive as they drove through a forest fire.

Justin Bilton and his 70-year-old dad, Charlie, had been backpacking through Wyoming and Montana and had set up camp at Glacier National Park when a lightning storm struck.

The following day, August 12, a fire had been ignited which turned into the Howe Ridge Fire that has burned thousands of acres along Lake McDonald, according to the MailOnline.

Advert

They both realised that attempts must be made to escape in their rental car but soon they had driven into, and were completely surrounded by, intense flames.

Credit: Storyful

The pair can be heard in the background of the video, with Charlie remaining calm. He says: "I think we can drive through this".

And Justin responds: "Dad, what if the car blows up?" And Charlie responds very matter-of-factly: "Then we're dead. Just keep driving. Not too too fast, we'll be okay."

Advert

As their visibility became worse, and flaming embers began to hit the windshield, Justin's concern grew by the second.



"The car is heating up, it's gonna explode," Justin tells his father. "Jesus. Please, God, help us."

Credit: Storyful

The video goes dark after a while and Charlie can be heard getting out of the car. In the middle of a forest fire. And we wondered, 'what the actual fuck is he doing?!'

Advert

Taking to Facebook, Justin said: "When my dad decided he was going to get out to move the burning tree I was most scared because I didn't think I could stop the stubborn old man! He's [definitely] cool under pressure."

Cool or absolutely batshit crazy?

Credit: Storyful

The MailOnline reported that the pair had to reverse through the fire to get back to the trail head and down to the lake. They abandoned their car, which later succumbed to the flames.

Advert

On the lake they found two park employees in a boat and they thankfully rescued Justin and Charlie, reported KRTV.

Justin told WHDH: "We looked back and just saw the whole lake shore where we had been maybe 10 to 15 minutes before just completely go up in flames.

"I do think it was some kind of higher power looking out for us. It seems like it wasn't our time to go."