Here’s How Reporters Are Covering the Los Angeles Wildfires

The eyes of the country are currently on Los Angeles, where 2025’s first climate-related disaster is playing out in real time. On Tuesday, a severe windstorm swept through the L.A. region, igniting several fires that spread to engulf three major areas, including the Pacific Palisades, Eaton Canyon, and Sylmar.

At press time, the wildfires have killed at least two people, and 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes. Officials estimate that over 1,000 structures have burned down.

National and local news outlets have been covering the wildfires over the past 24 hours. TVNewser collected the following accounts from correspondents in the field and their teams back in the studio as events unfold. We will continue to update this post as new stories come in.

What’s been the most defining or haunting moment in this story for you so far?

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.

What precautions are you and your crews taking during you reporting? Have there been any moments where you felt in danger?

Tim Wieland regional GM, President of CBS News Los Angeles and CBS News Colorado

Our reporters have received significant training in advance of covering events like this. We also take extreme caution when sending them out to provide coverage, and we provide protective gear.
Examples below:  

-Crews are required to attend annual Wildland Cal Fire training
-Reporters and Photographers are assigned respirators that require fitting tests by Cal OSHA-certified technicians
-Crews have access to N95 masks, water, first aid kits.
-All news vans have fire extinguishers and are checked daily with OSHA required checklist 
-Photographers and Reporters are assigned Nomex Fire gear consisting of a jacket and pants, and safety goggles

We had a moment when CBS Los Angeles anchors Pat Harvey and Juan Fernandez were live doing a talkback with reporter Jasmine Viel, when the wind suddenly shifted, and she was briefly hit with flying ember while reporting. We evacuated her immediately out of the Temescal Canyon/Palisades area.

What should viewers be aware of as coverage continues?

Tim Wieland, regional general manager and president for CBS News Los Angeles and CBS News Colorado

We have been on the air and streaming our coverage and warnings around the wildfire since 10 a.m. PT yesterday, and we will continue to provide on-the-ground reporting for our viewers, keeping them updated and informed with as much information as we can, as it’s happening. If you don’t live in the area but have family and are concerned, or you have evacuated but you have your phone, you can go straight to the CBS News Los Angeles app and watch the coverage all day today.   

We also want viewers to know that CBS Los Angeles has “The Desk,” which provides viewers with full access behind the scenes to what is happening during the wildfire as we receive the information. Assignment editors Mark Liu and, later in the day, Mike Rogers, will keep viewers informed all day. As we receive breaking news in our newsroom, they will receive the news, in addition to the on-the-ground reporting. We will also continue to update viewers on evacuation centers and shelters, and only when we can, will we update viewers who have called in asking if certain businesses have burned down or have survived.