Matt Organista Brings the Thomas Fire to You
Carpinteria Native Becomes De Facto Information Center During the Blaze
It is a cliché, but an appropriate one, to say that word of Matt Organista’s videos of the Thomas Fire spread like wildfire.
Organista intimately knows all the roads, trails, and landmarks in and around his hometown of Carpinteria. When the fire broke out, he set out for key vantage points and began posting live videos on social media. They became mandatory viewing for hundreds of residents, and through sharing, his audience went into the thousands.
“I got tons of [Facebook] friend requests, like 1,500 in four days,” he said. The popularity of his reporting arose from his ability to move around and tell viewers exactly where and when his images were being taken. “Up close and personal” is how one thankful fan described his efforts. “My roots are here,” Organista said. “I know of people who moved to the Netherlands and Australia who still feel like [Carpinteria] is their community.”
