The wildfires that dominated the news earlier this month are still blazing in Los Angeles.
As I write this, the largest, Palisades, is only 59% contained. More than 200,000 people were evacuated; at least 27 are dead. More than 15,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged, including entire neighborhoods. The famously “gusty” Santa Ana winds and dry conditions mean the danger is far from over.
From a distance, it’s hard to grasp how bad it is and just how much has burned in the Los Angeles area – even viewed on TV and social media. Visuals are one thing, but numbers mean little unless you have some context and comparison. And this is where reporters and writers can step in to make the situation clear.
In the January issue of my newsletter, Wordnerdery, I take a look at the fantastic job some reporters and writers have done explaining the extent of the fires, how rare they are this early in the year and more. Some enlightening (and frightening) comparisons, for sure!
Have you seen any compelling explanations of numbers? Please share! I’m always looking for good examples.
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