As wildfires strike Los Angeles, YouTube vlogs offer personal perspectives

The blazes currently raging in Los Angeles will ultimately rank among the most devastating wildfires in California history. As the disaster takes its toll to the tune of thousands of displaced persons and billions in property damage, concerned onlookers are turning to YouTube to learn about the latest updates.

But standard news reporting is not the only type of wildfire coverage being offered on YouTube. The Los Angeles area is the center of the creator community, and many YouTubers who have been personally affected by the disaster have shared their experiences in honest, emotional vlogs.

Several creators are listed among the many entertainment figures who lost their homes thanks to the ongoing conflagration. Both members of Colin and Samir — the duo that offers insights related to creator content production process — lost their homes in the Pacific Palisades. They have been supported by a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars.

But the wildfires also impacted a lot of people who aren’t in the entertainment business, and many creators used their platforms to advocate for assistance that will help as many Angelenos as possible. “A lot of people, when they think of L.A., that’s where they think the celebrities are,” gamer Markiplier said in his response to the fires. “But L.A. is an extremely large and diverse city with a ton of history and a ton of places in it that fall under the umbrella of being affected by these fires…I’m sure you’ve seen some pictures but seeing it first-hand is completely different.”

Markiplier’s video included a link to a Tiltify campaign supporting aid across Los Angeles. As part of a stunning assessment of the overall damage caused by the fires, the Corridor Crew urged viewers to back organizations like the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Other creators drew attention to friends and family members who could use help getting back on their feet. Citizen documentarian Andrew Callaghan of Channel 5 ventured into the ashes to speak with some locals who were among the most affected victims of the fires. Callaghan’s resulting video includes donation information for the families he interviewed.

As horrible as the wildfires are, the strong community response shows that platforms like YouTube can be valuable organizational tools during relief efforts. As some platforms look to cut back on features that protect citizen journalists, events like this one show just how much good that community can do.