PBS Innovation Showcase

During the October 2007 fires that caused "the largest evacuation since Katrina," San Diego station KPBS utilized a Twitter feed and a Google map to update area residents on evacuation centers and fire containment. Twitter is a popular micro-blogging service that allows 140-character updates to be sent and received from a Web interface, Instant Messenger, or mobile devices--an ideal fit in this situation. The KPBS Google map allowed users to see which centers had available space and approximate fire perimeters. During the fires, the KPBS team continued to update both and broadcast live even after one of their facilities was lost in the Mount San Miguel fires.