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As the California wildfire devastation becomes clearer, we’re again witnessing a major news event that’s being chronicled in new, inventive ways online.

Much like the Minnesota I-35 bridge collapse in August, the wildfires have received heavy coverage from traditional media supplemented by a variety of user-generated and social media efforts.

Poynter’s E-Media Tidbits has posted a great roundup of the various approaches:

• Twitter updates through the local NPR affiliate
• Google maps of the fire areas from the LA Times and NPR affiliate
• Blogs from IT professionals, residents, the local newspaper and a television reporter
• A Flickr group with hundreds of images

Bloggers Blog has also compiled an excellent list of blogs, videos and other resources.

Amy Gahran of E-Media Tidbits commented that the wildfires could signify a “watershed event” in online disaster coverage. Traditional media organizations are adopting various elements and tools. Individuals are creating new ways to apply them. And over time, government agencies and other organizations will more proactively use the tools to notify their audiences. Over time, the individual tools and technologies will converge further and create powerful options to share news, tell stories and notify the public.