Amid Chaos in Redding Depression and Gloom; KTVU Senior/Gomez Impress; So Too Vacar; KGO's Anthony Shines From The Scene of Carr Fire Destruction

SUNDAY.

Summer fading by the day. August close by and beckoning. Grim and Grimmer. Including Bay Area Media.

*IT was a gloomy Saturday night. Out and then back. Turned on the TV and watched the 10 PM News on KTVU...Andre Senior and Alyana Gomez. Not bad. A return to the old, staid no-nonsense Channel 2 brand; it was a little dry for my taste but I'd rather have dry then open giggles and considering the disaster taking place up north with all the fires more than appropriate. In this case, somber was the right mood and Senior and Gomez set the proper tone. I don't know if it was intentional but if it was, good thinking.

*Again, I generally applaud the reporting of the Carr fire by all the stations given its totality and outright horror. The sheer sight of fire just destroying everything in its site is something to behold and you have to wonder --why do these people live in such potentially dangerous terrain? To get away from the complications of city life? But at what cost. Seems this is the new norm. Depressing.

Laura Anthony

*Good solid reporting from the scene of destruction, most notably, Laura Anthony of KGO. Yes, a few months back, I pretty much excoriated her and was a little harsh but I try to be honest. I said she was dull and dreary which may have been a bit too extreme but at the time accurate if a bit overstated, anyway she's been quite good here describing and detailing the horror show both from the victims' standpoint, and that of the brave firemen and women trying their best to save the community against all odds amid all the hopelessness.

*Another frequent target here, Tom Vacar of KTVU. did a very interesting, detailed package at 10 PM on the sheer power of the fires and just how awful the power of its destruction can happen.

Tom VaCar

Vacar and his photographer showed some burnt road girders near the scene and you could sense how all hell broke loose. A scene of the Apocalypse like images out of a movie only in this case, it was real and vivid. I said this type of reporting is dangerous even under the safest circumstances because fire is real and powerful and can literally overwhelm and gain momentum by wind path. It may look OK but it's tough to cover, I've been told and I see and agree.