Jasmine Viel, anchor and reporter for CBS News Los Angeles
Covering the Palisades fire was an intense and humbling experience. When the wind suddenly shifted and flying ember suddenly hit me, while live on air, I was okay, but it was scary reminder of how unpredictable and dangerous these situations can be. While we’re trained for moments like this and we have our protective gear and are practicing all safety measures, it doesn’t make them any less real. But we do this work because it matters. Bringing critical information to our viewers—even in the face of danger—is why we do what we do.
Amanda Starrantino, reporter for CBS News Los Angeles
As journalists, we strive to bring our communities the news with composure and clarity, even in the most difficult moments. Covering the Eaton fire today became deeply personal when I realized the neighborhood I was reporting from included the home of close family friend, now reduced to ashes. Balancing my role as a reporter with the emotions of that discovery was one of the hardest moments in my career. Off -air, I made the difficult call to confirm to my friends their home was lost, and then I was back on-air within minutes with the intention to ensure our viewers receive the information they needed during this devastating fire.
Jacob Soboroff, correspondent for NBC News
To see the community I grew up in completely obliterated overnight is an experience I thought—if I ever had—would come with an earthquake. And I never expected it to be this literal firestorm that has overtaken a place that I love so much, so quickly, and do so much harm to so many people.
Bob Van Dillen, meteorologist for Fox Weather
The most harrowing moment we saw on Fox Weather was a man running through flames and flying embers to escape the Palisades inferno. In the next clip he was breaking down while hugging two of his friends after he made it out. I was stunned, but that was just one story out of the many we heard of people fleeing by foot. At the height of the maelstrom, embers were being picked up and thrown a mile ahead of the main fire line racing down the mountains, sparking new spot fires. It’s hard to explain the chaos that was happening with the evacuations, all in the darkness of night.
Nancy Loo, national correspondent for NewsNation
I could go on and on. I’ve covered major disasters all over the country for over three decades— hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and more. I also spent time in Lahaina after the Maui fire. What I’ve experienced and seen covering the wildfires this week in Southern California is incomparable. It’s no surprise so many of us have been using the word “apocalyptic.”
