Denver-based video journalist Brittany Peterson reported for all formats and collaborated with colleagues on a richly produced enterprise package that explores the impact of wildfires on water supply.
AP journalists know that readers are turned off by doom and gloom coverage of global warming but are interested in what can be done about climate change, both to mitigate its effects and adapt. We also know that in the field of climate science, women are not well represented.
With that in mind, Peterson, a member of AP’s team covering water issues, delivered with text, video and photos on an important process that scientists are still studying: the cascading effect of wildfires, particularly in the U.S. West where the fires are becoming more frequent and destructive. Researchers want to know if charred bark shedding from scorched trees is contributing to an earlier snowmelt to rivers, possibly leaving less water flowing in the summer when it’s most needed.
The package focused on a female climate scientist, snow hydrologist Anne Nolin — and how Nolin’s research might help local water managers guide decisions amid increasing water shortages which will only get worse in years to come.
Snow hydrologist Anne Nolin holds a sample of dirty snow at the site of the 2021 Caldor Fire, near Twin Bridges, Calif., April 4, 2022. As wildfires intensify across the West, researchers are studying how scorched trees could lead to a faster snowmelt and end up disrupting water supplies. Without a tree canopy, snow is exposed to more sunlight.
AP Photo / Brittany Peterson
Snow hydrologist Anne Nolin, left, and graduate student Arielle Koshkin prepare to collect data on snow at the site of the 2021 Caldor Fire, near Twin Bridges, Calif., April 4, 2022.
AP Photo / Brittany Peterson
Burned tree bark and other debris sit on melting snow at the site of the 2021 Caldor Fire, near Twin Bridges, Calif., April 4, 2022.
AP Photo / Brittany Peterson
Researchers collect data near a patch of snow at the site of the 2021 Caldor Fire, near Twin Bridges, Calif., April 4, 2022.
AP Photo / Brittany Peterson
Burned trees stand near patches of melting snow at the site of the 2021 Caldor Fire, near Twin Bridges, Calif., April 4, 2022.
AP Photo / Brittany Peterson
Peterson’s text story was edited by Candice Choi, leader of the water coverage team, and the entire package was further elevated by strong visuals: Climate news director Peter Prengaman pitched in on the video elements, Seattle photographer Ted Warren handled photo editing and Top Stories photo editor Alyssa Goodman worked with Peterson on an immersive presentation that seamlessly wove together all the formats. The lead image — drone footage of patchy snow in a burned-out forest — immediately pulled in readers.
The package resonated with customers and readers, was used by dozens and dozens of websites and papers, and racked up some 2 million pageviews on AP’s Facebook page alone.