Twittering the California wild fires

"Ok, no really... I'm heading to bed.... will start updates again in the morning.. fire seems to be slowing right now anyway."

And with these words, "nateritter", as his friends on Twitter know him, signed off after a rapid-fire, round-the-clock day of covering the raging Southern California wild fires.

And, a few hours later he was back again.

"3,700 homes along Wildcat Canyon, Muth Valley Road to Willow Road should evacuate. Evacuees, go to Santana High School," he reports, evidently after a brief night's sleep.

That Twitter junkies are using the hyer-alert technology to inform the general public about a destructive wild fire as it quickly moves across land is an inevitable and encouraging sign of the technology's maturity. And you thought its sole purpose was to mobilise friends to meet you at the cinema?

Thanks to its reach and near real-time reporting capability, Twitter has the ability to be a real life saver. As the fires continue to eat everything in its path, we are getting a good glimpse of the potential. A rapid response technology in the hands of people on the ground can mean the difference between a right turn and a wrong turn, death or survival. If only such technology was in use this summer in Greece, a point Jonathan Weber made here a few months ago.

But the Twitter-style response still has some tweaks to work out. Check out nateritter's observations at a particularly frought moment:

"Winds lightening up inland. Gusts still kicking up occasionally, so don't be stupid and go home."

erm, nate, would that be don't go home, or go home?

The volunteer spirit is laudible. But please, a little clarity. Lives are at stake.

Comments

[Lucanos]

Interesting article, and a creative application of an existing system to a new use.

As an aside, if you really think that his clarity is in need of work, and, as you said "Lives are at stake.", why not call Nate on his number (it features quite prominently in his latest updates) and give him some direct feedback, rather than tell everyone else what you think of his work.

At least then he can improve, and this system, which I am sure has helped a number of people already, can do more good.