Lantern to screen Wildfire Film Fest on Saturday

Fires have always posed a threat to those who live in the West. Especially during times of prolonged drought.

And in recent seasons, the threat has involved more than the flames and heat. The smoke from wildfires has permeated the air, darkening the skies and making the very act of breathing a dangerous exercise.

Fire and the problems it causes will be the focus of a film festival that will screen beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Magic Lantern Theater. Sponsored by the nonprofit Community Building Foundation, the festival will feature three feature films:

"Prince Avalanche" (3 p.m.): Written and directed by David Gordon Green, this 2013 comedy stars Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as (according to Rotten Tomatoes) "two men painting traffic lines on a desolate country highway that's been ravaged by wildfire."

"Only the Brave" (4:45 p.m.): Josh Brolin, Miles Teller and Jeff Bridges star in this 2017 film focusing on the true story of the ill-fated firefighting crew Granite Mountain Hotshots.

"Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests and the Future" (7:15 p.m.): This hour-long documentary explores the vicious cycle of how fires cause the very conditions that lead to climate change and further environmental damage.

Admission to the films is free, though donations are welcomed. All profits will go to local communities affected by wildfire.