How A Local News Reporter Spotted The Sunset Fire: “Local News Is Still Vital; People Still Appreciate What We Do”

deadline.com:

Last night, during his show’s opening monologue, Jimmy Kimmel praised LA’s local news media for their tireless and vital coverage of the devastating fires. “I want to thank our local news reporters,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion, “who reminded us how important local television and radio and newspapers are.” Never has there been stronger proof of how badly we need to preserve local news teams—not only as a city, but as a nation.

This past Wednesday, Chris Cristi, an AIR7 helicopter reporter for ABC7 Eyewitness News, became another shining example of this when he spotted the Sunset Fire as it began in the Hollywood hills.

The day before, at around 10.30am, when the Palisades fire broke out, all news helicopters were grounded—and not just due to the extreme high winds. “President Biden was in town,” says Cristi, “so, there was a temporary flight restriction that prevented us from taking off to fly over the fires.

When the President’s in town, there’s a 30-mile TFR, and nobody could fly unless you’re police or rescue.” Cristi felt the frustration of this, as he says, “viewers rely on that instant information and that live picture.” Residents—and then, as the crisis expanded, the world—saw just how badly we need local reporters on the scene as we turned to them for answers. RELATED: Documentary Community Reckons With Devastating Loss From L.A.