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  WHEN WILDFIRES swept through Southern California in October and
November 2007, everyone with a home near the fire line was desperate for
information. But the traditional means of finding time-sensitive news were
flawed.
    After the crisis, when a trio of disaster
researchers asked residents how they felt about mainstream news coverage, the
investigators heard complaints that "the information was insufficient, either
because it lacked specificity to their area; was biased towards metropolitan
areas; seemed focused on the sensational at the expense of those in rural or
outlying areas; or was simply inaccurate." And the government? Sometimes it did
a good job of getting breaking news to the public, but other times its outlets
were "slow to update information to at-risk and evacuated communities or simply
overwhelmed and stymied by on-line
traffic."
    Fortunately, there were alternatives. As
one interviewee told the researchers, "the only way we all have to get good
information here is for those who have it to share it. We relied on others to
give us updates when they had info and we do the same for others." That meant
going online, to community forums such as RimOfTheWorld.net and
SoCalMountains.com: quick, constantly updated efforts fueled by voluntary,
amateur action. Earlier fires, another resident explained, had taught the locals
that "there is no 'they.' 'They' won't tell us if there is danger, 'they' aren't
coming to help, and 'they' won't correct bad information. We have to do that
amongst ourselves."