Here’s How Reporters Are Covering the Los Angeles Wildfires (Updated)

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.”

Matt Gutman, chief national correspondent for ABC News
Even though we arrived in Palisades on Tuesday afternoon the fire had already gripped the town, the defining moment for me is the following Wednesday morning when I drove down a deserted Sunset Boulevard at 3 a.m. to meet our crew for Good Morning America. Almost every building I had come to know in the Palisades in the three decades I’ve been coming here to see family, was on fire. And not just fire but what looked like flame throwers blasting fire out of gutted buildings and into the road.  

And then just hours later I’ve been passed through downtown Pacific Palisades I drove to my aunt’s house right off of Sunset and – there, next to the old oak split in half and sagging powerlines – I found it destroyed.  Previous night I had grabbed some things from her place thinking I would have time the next day to get more. But as it was for so many time ran out. 

And like so so many here in LA County, my family packed our bags, grabbed our documents and some cash, and we’re ready for the evacuation order. 

It was in that moment early Wednesday morning that I realized that this town is likely never going be the same.

Watch behind the scenes footage of ABC News’ Kanya Whitworth covering the wildfires

Alex Stone, national correspondent for ABC News Radio
I’ve covered wildfires for almost 30 years and I have never seen wind like I saw arriving in Altadena.  Early Wednesday morning the wind was hitting 100 miles an hour.  As we drove into the fire you could not see five feet in front of the car, there was fire everywhere, and huge pieces of homes and trees were flying in the wind slamming into the car.  It was just incredible to see the wind and the frantic attempts by people to get out in terrible conditions.  On radio we were able to bring that right into the listener of just how windy it was and how dangerous it was for those trying to evacuate.