BURNING

TOO CLOSE TO

HOME

Have you been affected by California wildfires — in any capacity?


i want to hear your story.

My name is Morrea Ollila. I am a Journalism + Design student and soon-to-be graduate from The New School’s Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts. I've been working on a project during my time at TNS called "Burning too Close to Home: California’s War on Wildfires" which combines data visualization and narrative storytelling.


Rooted in the personal loss of my childhood home during the 2018 Woolsey Fire, this project aims to explore the far-reaching consequences of wildfires on California communities, with a focus on the human experience amid these challenges.

As part of my Journalism + Design Senior Thesis project, I’ll be conducting interviews in the upcoming weeks with individuals, families, and first responders affected by wildfires. Whether you've directly faced the devastation of a wildfire or have been impacted in any way, I would be honored to hear your story.

While I'm finalizing the structure of my thesis project, I'm exploring the concept of creating a mixed-media book. This book will weave together diverse narratives and voices from our community, combined with the data visuals I have previously created. My goal is to capture the collective human experience of wildfires, highlighting themes of resilience, adversity, community, empathy, and so on.

If you're interested in participating in an interview, please take a moment to complete the form below. Following your response, I'll reach out via email or text to arrange a convenient time to chat. You're welcome to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with, and I assure you that your story will absolutely be treated with respect and sensitivity.

Thank you in advance for your consideration—your voice will play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of my project.