In the midst of his report, Fenoglio alerted viewers, saying, “It looks like the back of this house is catching (fire),” as embers threatened the property and the surrounding neighborhood, already ravaged by the wildfire. According to Fox4, Fenoglio quickly grabbed a garden hose to douse the flames creeping up the back of the house, working to contain the fire before it could do more damage. His quick thinking and decisive action, caught on camera, showcased his bravery in the face of a rapidly escalating situation.
Reporter halts wildfire coverage to put out flames threatening a house in gripping video
The reporter was live, updating the audience from the ground on the Eaton fire as things worsened.
California wildfires have a history of wreaking havoc, leaving communities in panic. Amid the chaos of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, LA-based reporter John Fenoglio from KTLA5 found himself in an unexpected position while reporting live. As the flames closed in on the home where he was stationed, Fenoglio’s courageous response became a standout moment of the fire coverage.
During his report on the #EatonFire in Altadena, KTLA's @JohnFenoglio paused to extinguish flames on a homeowner's property. Live Updates: https://t.co/ERVPvJuFhH pic.twitter.com/KLFPAp2rMa
— KTLA (@KTLA) January 8, 2025
"You see these structures just light up very quickly and, you know, if there's a garden hose right here, you try to do something if you can," Fenoglio told the audience. "Obviously, that's not our job, but you try to help when you can." While he practiced what he preached, it remains unclear whether he was able to save the house after the live report ended. The reporter was live, providing updates on the Eaton fire, which was worsening as the Santa Ana winds fueled the flames. The fire spread to other areas, including Eaton Canyon near Pasadena and Altadena, as well as the Hurst fire near Santa Clarita. The fires erupted at Eaton on Tuesday, January 7. As of Wednesday, dozens of homes had already been destroyed, and the cause of the fire remains unclear and under investigation.
In addition to the destruction of homes, the intense fires also caused injuries to those affected. As of Tuesday, a Los Angeles city official described the situation as "one of the most devastating and terrifying" to date. Meanwhile, climate scientist Daniel Swain added, "This is looking worse and worse the more information we get," as per NBC News.
While the fires show no mercy, nearly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders due to the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and Lidia fires in Los Angeles County. Over 100,000 people have already been evacuated, with another 100,000 on standby as they may be ordered to leave at any moment if the fires continue to spread. So, what caused these devastating fires? It was a combination of drought-like conditions, as Southern California has received less than 10% of its average rainfall since October 1, 2024, and the offshore winds that have intensified the fires. Swain explained, "It's not just that drier conditions are perpetually more likely in a warming climate. It's that this oscillation back and forth between states is something that is particularly consequential for wildfire risk in Southern California," according to the Inside Climate News.
ABC News' @MattGutmanABC discusses the latest on the wildfires and actor Steve Guttenberg discusses how the wildfires have affected his home.#GMA3 pic.twitter.com/skkbOerWTA
— GMA3: What You Need To Know (@ABCGMA3) January 8, 2025
Another correspondent from ABC News, Matt Gutman, described the apocalyptic fires to be the most catastrophic he's ever witnessed. "The place is simply unrecognizable," wrote Gutman. "By now hundreds of homes -- including mega-mansions -- have burned. At this point, there must be many billions of dollars in property damage." And it doesn't seem to end anytime soon. "I've been in Los Angeles nine years. This is the most unsafe it has felt," concluded Gutman.
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