https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment The California wildfire situation is a tragic event that has recently risen to the top of the United States news. Two major fires, also known as the Camp fire and the Woolsey fire have recently begun with the Camp Fire being considered one of the ​deadliest and most destructive fires in the history of California by taking away both land and lives (Brown, 2018). These two main fires began on the same day (Brown, 2018), which is November 8th (Dowd, 2018). en-us 2018-11-18 00:56:10 UTC 2026-02-24 16:08:37 UTC hello@padlet.com dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305605645 This is a video from Twitter which shows various clips of the aftermath and devastation of the recent fires. This video shows streets within California where the houses and other buildings have all been completely burned down. All that is left is a vague outline of where each structure once stood. I feel by showing the images of all the houses burned down, this video really demonstrates one of the most serious aspects of this current issue. We hear about people losing their homes and lives in tragic events, but to actually see the mass loss in this video really puts it into perspective. I believe it causes you to step back and think and it gives an example of how this fire is impacting us humans. ]]> 2018-11-18 01:55:46 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305605645 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305608551 I took this screenshot from a grouping of videos on Snapchat. Within these videos it showed various clips of people donating and collecting different items to help individuals impacted by the wildfires. It also showed various drop off locations where people might bring items to donate or come to volunteer. Since Snapchat is so widely used by many people and is easy to use, it acts as a great resource to communicate information. As well, within the research I’ve done, I noticed a lot of social media elements only show the facts or basic coverage of the issue. This is one of the only forms of social media that is showing ways in which the “average” person can help in this situation rather than just sit back and watch it unfold. ]]> 2018-11-18 02:58:58 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305608551 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305609353 This link would take you right to the California Smoke Blog. Within this blog, it explains and visually shows the different levels of wildfire smoke across different areas of California. It also shows areas within California that have a high risk of fire potential. I believe this social media element helps contribute to the understanding of the current issue in many ways. We are hearing about how much the fires and smoke has spread by way of numbers; this blog post however shows multiple visuals of how large the wildfires truly are in comparison to a map of the state of California. It really helps with understanding the issue for people who are more visual learners and it can also help people in surrounding areas know safe and unsafe areas, where family is, etc.]]> 2018-11-18 03:15:54 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305609353 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305610822 This is a link to a YouTube video which has a bit of explanation of what is happening in California but it also contains real-life conversations with people who live in areas that are currently being rampaged by the wildfires. I personally believe that videos, especially YouTube videos are some of the best social media formats to get information across to people. I feel that this YouTube video really contributes to the understanding of the California wildfires because it allows people to connect to the issue on a deeper level. It’s one thing for people to read stories of real-life accounts, but it is another thing to see real people being interviewed, their emotions, and where they are living. I think it helps people feel more empathetic towards the issue that is taking place and helps them understand truly how big and serious of an impact this issue has on a large number of human lives. ]]> 2018-11-18 03:48:59 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305610822 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305612944 This is an image from an Instagram account post I looked up when I looked in the top posts for the hashtag #californiawildfire. This post shows images of animals that have been negatively impacted by the recent California wildfires. We think about all the people that are being impacted when we see news posted, but it is important to keep in mind all the animals, both wild and domestic that are at risk too. This example of the different animals really helps further show the impact the fires have created. I’ve noticed that Instagram is a great tool to view a variety of perspectives about an issue. Some platforms only talk about certain points of view but I believe since Instagram has such a large community of different members, by using this platform, you are able to understand the many issues accompanying the wildfires all at once.]]> 2018-11-18 04:33:18 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305612944 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305647875 This is a heartbreaking image which was found on Facebook in regards to the current issue.  Much like with many other social media platforms, I believe that by showing this subject in a visual manner, people are more likely to understand the severity of the current issue. This is only a photo with a small caption, but that I believe is enough to really add value to what is taking place. I believe this photo adds insight to the fact that people, young children included, had to grab what they could and ran as fast as they could to safety. Many people left behind their home, most of their possessions, and priceless memories. When I see a photo like this, I can't help but wonder who this tricycle belonged to, how many happy days they spent with it or if they even got a chance to use it, and how their lives will be going forward.]]> 2018-11-18 13:04:00 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305647875 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305651589 This is a written tweet that was posted as a reply to the President of the United States' tweet. President Trump had made a comment about preventing the wildfires and someone wrote back a reply that relates right to climate change and global warming, which many people know are two topics the President openly does not believe in. I believe tweets like this shed a new perspective on the current issues taking place and how they might be related to many other issues that take place in the world as well. Many social media platforms have posted about the President or about the wildfires in general but I found Twitter was one of the only ones that had a strong emphasis on the wildfires relating to climate change/global warming and a strong emphasis on how the President is not understanding the situation in California whatsoever. ]]> 2018-11-18 13:43:15 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305651589 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653063 This is a link to a video which was found on Periscope. Periscope has accounts, e.g. ABC News, who shows live updates about the California wildfires. I think this element is a very useful tool especially because it delivers clear, relevant, and useful information about the wildfires in a way that is convenient for people. Some people might not have television so it is difficult to see videos unless they wait to see them updated on YouTube later. It contributes to the understanding because it provides videos of the fires, interviews, and other useful information that may help educate people within California and people watching from the outside in real-time. I found that this social media element was very similar to Facebook and Google+ because it focused on the factual updates about the issue. This platform focused more on general news rather than people's opinions which were found more on Twitter.]]> 2018-11-18 13:57:16 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653063 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653928 This was a screenshot of a post that was found on Google+. It focused on the topic of the President of the United States being involved in what is taking place currently in California. I think that this is a great example to display because the wildfires that are occurring truly is a National issue despite it taking place solely in one state. It contributes to people's understanding of the issue because people want to know that this serious matter is being looked after in a serious way. As well, especially by seeing videos and hearing interviews, people are able to understand what is the plan moving forward. I found most social media platforms that I searched for this topic on had many posts about the President and his actions. ]]> 2018-11-18 14:04:34 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653928 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653942 The following link leads to a video I found posted on Reddit. I chose to add this video because it adds an example of a bit of hope and positivity amongst the chaos occurring. I found many social media platforms showing the obvious overwhelming negatives however when I came across this video which included an uninjured, visibly grateful cat, and a smiling man it really created a new insight that there is hope and that there are good things also occurring despite the devastation. It definitely contributes to this issue by allowing people to see small acts of kindness and hope and then perhaps develop a bit of hope in themselves about the wildfires. ]]> 2018-11-18 14:04:42 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305653942 dana_holstead9 https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305663797 Brown, D. (2018, November 12). California Wildfire deadliest and Most Destructive in State History. Retrieved from https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/11/12/fire-n12.html

Dowd, K. (2018, November 15). How did the Camp Fire Start? Retrieved from https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/cause-butte-county-california-wildfire-source-13395622.php]]> 2018-11-18 15:25:54 UTC https://padlet.com/dana_holstead9/currenteventassignment/wish/305663797