Is this the fire that was filmed in the movie 30 Seconds Over Tokyo? In the movie, it was supposed to be part of Tokyo burning from the bombing.
As much as the surrounding hills look like the low hills surrounding Signal Hill and the Long Beach basin, it is not Long Beach or the surroundings. Signal Hill surrounding mountain views... similar Hello, A quick research of files comes up with this viewpoint: The Hancock Oil Fire in Signal Hill could have been used as the backgrounds, but if the dates of the fire in the 1958 timeline goes, it would have been far fetched to include it in the 1944 movie production. As the film historians have stated the facts. In one scene though, they had some accidental effects that they were able to incorporate into the movie. MOVIE ARCHIVES "As Lawson approaches and enters the airspace over Tokyo (filmed in Oakland, California), the crew spots a cloud of billowing black smoke. In the film, Lawson credits the smoke as being the work of the Davy Jones, the bomber just ahead." "But the smoke was just a lucky chance that the film crew took advantage of. Not part of the script at all, it came from a fuel-oil fire in Oakland. We have to say that the cast and crew did a great job capturing the moment! Plus, it’s always exciting to find out that in addition to real war footage, real life events can also make their way into a cinematic piece of history." Jnaki Today, a remake would have been possible with the outstanding digital effects those experts are doing in the modern films. But, back then, a borrowed film of an Oakland, CA. fire was added into the scenes.