CZU Lightning complex Fire
I've documented the fire through audio, visual and digital storytelling.
Since the CZU Lightning Complex Fire began I've been on the ground covering the blaze and its impacts on the Santa Cruz community for NPR, KQED and KAZU.
Sounds and Words
Bonny Doon Residents Who Stayed Behind Wonder What’s Next
Bonny Doon residents who defied Cal Fire evacuation orders, say they've seen their neighborhood change as tech money has come in & housing prices skyrocket. Staying wasn't just about saving homes — it was to keep their community spirit alive
Fire Refugees Overwhelm Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County officials are struggling to shelter an unprecedented 45,000 plus evacuees, who've had to flee their homes because of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire.
Firefighters Continue Attack On CZU Lightning Complex Even After Flames Recede
As firefighters near containment on the CZU Complex, their work is still challenging and risky. I spent a day with a 24-hr Cal Fire Strike Team in Fall Creek State Park. The forest there won't look the same for a while.
Wildfires In California Have Firefighting Teams Stretched Thin
I was interviewed live by David Greene of Morning Edition on my reporting on the CZU Lightning Complex. In this segment, my interview with an evacuee who struggled to find shelter and had to evacuate numerous times was featured.
Evacuees Pull Together at Santa Cruz Fairgrounds
A group of lightning caused fires has burned 25,000 of acres in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties and also triggered widespread evacuations of both people and livestock from far flung rural areas.
Between The Wildfire And The Pandemic, Santa Cruz Residents Are Anxious And Tired
Doug McKnight of KAZU interviewed me on progress firefighters had made othe CZU Complex, and how the community was faring through the disaster.