Daily Update #5 - Race to Contain LA Area Fire

Daily Update #5 - Race to Contain LA Area Fire 

As 100,000 people race to evacuate the Sylmar community in the San Fernando Valley, firefighters continued to fight the nearly 7,500 acre blaze throughout the night, in order to prevent further damage to property and houses. NBC news takes an in-depth look at the circumstances that fueled both the Saddle-ridge and Sandalwood area fires, and what efforts are being taken on the contain them.

Phil Hesel composes a robust piece of journalism by reporting the information of wildfires in a concise, neutral way that allows the reader to synthesize as much of the story as possible. He starts off with an overall summary of the story, informing the reader the ongoing fire was "fueled by high winds swelled in size Friday as more than 1,000 firefighters worked to try to contain the blaze". After helping the reader build a base of the situation, Hesel then goes into the more specific details of the report by referencing hard evidence, such as "By Friday evening... it was 13 percent contained and had damaged or destroyed at least 31 structures." This is one of the positives of online journalism, as Hesel is able to keep readers with the most up to date coverage on the spread of the fire. Similarly, the use of images and videos of the blaze alongside the article gives the reader a better scope of the damage, adding to the overall reading experience. 

By using a mix of different writing devices within his article, Hesel is able to portray the entire story of the Saddle-ridge and Sandalwood area fires in a straightforward, insightful reading experience. The online publication serves his report well, as he is able to give readers updated information and videos that add meat to the article. 


https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/race-contain-wind-fueled-los-angeles-wildfire-n1065341