Our new website launches September 20th, 2026!
Welcome to Oakland FIRE 2026, produced by Days With Zahrah & Oakland Black FireFighters Association- WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW.
OAKLAND FIRE is a cinematic documentary series that follows the firefighters of one of America's most dynamic and demanding fire departments. From high-rise rescues in the heart of downtown to water rescues along the Oakland Estuary, fast-moving hillside wildfires, complex medical emergencies, and structure fires in diverse neighborhoods, the series captures the courage, skill, and humanity required to protect one of the country's most fascinating cities. Building on the award-winning documentary Behind the Station Door, recipient of an LA Documentary Film Award and broadcast on ABC, and Confirming Stills, which aired on ABC and the National Geographic Channel, the series offers unprecedented access to the firefighters behind the badge. More than emergency response, Oakland Fire is a gritty, authentic portrait of resilience, leadership, sacrifice, and brotherhood as firefighters confront life-and-death situations while serving a city defined by its history, diversity, challenges, and unwavering spirit.
Unlike anything seen on television before, Oakland FIRE delivers an unfiltered, deeply moving look into the lives of five firefighters as they navigate the realities of the job both on and off duty. The series explores the emotional toll of the profession, including PTSD, the struggle to maintain family balance, and the challenges of confronting racism and sexism within and beyond the fire service. Set within one of the most diverse fire departments in the United States, the show highlights the legacy, culture, and lived experiences that shape these firefighters, offering a powerful and honest portrayal of what it truly means to serve.
Why Your Support Matters
For more than a decade, Director and Executive Producer Zahrah Mallie Farmer has filmed with Oakland firefighters, documenting their lives with compassion, respect, and an unwavering commitment to honoring the people behind the badge. Oakland FIRE continues that mission by sharing authentic stories of courage, resilience, leadership, and sacrifice from one of America's most dynamic fire departments.
Your contribution helps fund tall of the television series's production cycles including filming, editing, music, archival preservation, accessibility, and community screenings, ensuring these remarkable stories inspire audiences for generations to come.
Oakland FIRE's Director
Director, Executive Producer & Creator Zahrah Mallie Farmer has dedicated more than a decade to sharing the stories of firefighters. Her work is rooted in an unwavering dedication to protecting the firefighting community.
Following the success of the award-winning documentary Behind the Station Door and Confirming Stills, Farmer continues her mission of preserving the history, courage, and humanity of the fire service. Her passion extends far beyond emergency response—she is drawn to the firefighters' extraordinary sense of family, sacrifice, resilience, and service to others. Having spent years inside fire stations, community events, training exercises, and emergency scenes, she has witnessed the profound bonds that unite firefighters and the personal challenges they carry long after the alarms end.
Farmer has been deeply moved by the personal stories she has been entrusted to tell, including Battalion Chief Ryan Meineke’s powerful journey of surviving cancer, a testament to strength both on and off the job. She has felt honored to be present on calls, capturing moments of urgency, bravery, and compassion, and equally honored to meet and interview legendary figures such as Christine Richie, the first female firefighter in California, whose groundbreaking legacy continues to inspire generations.
Through Oakland Fire, Farmer seeks to honor the men and women behind the badge by creating an intimate documentary series that reveals not only the action of the job, but the heart, compassion, humor, and enduring spirit of the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting one of America's most complex and resilient cities. Oakland FIRE is produced by Days With Zahrah and celebrating over a decade of television projects featuring the Oakland Fire Department.