The Wildest Places David Muir Has Reported From During His Career

Renowned reporter for "ABC World News Tonight" David Muir has had a long and prolific career. The demanding job has taken him all across the globe and, as a result, to some truly wild places. Some of the locations Muir has reported from have been breathtaking, while others are downright dangerous, but he's never shied away from braving the unknown to bring the latest news to his loyal viewers. David Muir lives an incredibly lavish life, but he's had to work pretty hard for it at times, including climbing hundreds of stairs up to the torch of the Statue of Liberty as he covered an ABC special for the United States' 250th birthday. 

Viewers were so impressed by the lengths the anchor went to in order to do this special coverage that many took to social media to note that he and his team deserved an Emmy for their trouble. The ABC News anchor documented it on Instagram, as he conducted reporting for the significant anniversary, including sharing some snaps of the Statue of Liberty, and captioning them: "The office these last few weeks. I'm so grateful to our small army of producers, photographers, editors, true artists — America the Beautiful for sure." 

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Footage of Muir's reporting from inside the famous landmark was truly remarkable. Even he took a moment to note just how "extraordinary" it was to view the statue from the inside, as the crew entered the crown (via Facebook), confessing, "It looks so much smaller on the inside." Their tour guide confirmed "nobody" is allowed up to Lady Liberty's torch, but after climbing up a narrow hatch, they finally got to see the view of New York City — and show it to the ABC audience. But this is hardly the strangest place Muir has reported from.

Something worth knowing about David Muir is that he doesn't shy away from danger when it comes to chasing a good story. The reporter proved this when he did on-the-ground reporting from Japan after the March 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Muir spoke with affected residents and experienced the disaster first-hand, providing viewers with real-time footage of the happenings on the ground. 

It was total chaos, given that the incident had been the result of a massive earthquake that triggered a tsunami, which gutted backup generators at the facility, causing explosions and the release of radiation from some of the nuclear reactors. Residents who had already been displaced by the earthquake and tsunami found themselves having to evacuate certain areas and get tested for radiation exposure. This nuclear accident is deemed the second worst in history, with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine holding first place. 

Muir shared updates and shocking footage from the ground, which included a snapshot of a ferry deposited on top of a building by the tsunami waves. He and his team also braved the perimeter the government had set around the nuclear area, reporting on the thousands of displaced individuals who were desperate for basic needs like water and food. They also visited areas most affected by the tsunami, showcasing the absolute devastation. 

Given that David Muir didn't shy away from visiting a nuclear disaster site, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that he's also visited war zones. It's no wonder David Muir's been dubbed ABC's most eligible anchor. In 2019, he notably traveled to Afghanistan to report on the war with the Taliban, meeting with the U.S. commander who was stationed there, General Scott Miller. Part of Muir's interview with him took place during a helicopter ride, as he watched some of the troops prepare for combat. This isn't the only war Muir covered on the ground. 

The intrepid reporter also traveled to the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after Russia invaded its neighbor in 2022. A "20/20" special aired on ABC, with Muir leading the reporting. He was ahead of many journalists from other outlets, who were still trying to figure out how to cover the multitude of breaking news from the area at the time. As per usual, the dedicated journalist didn't hesitate to step into a danger zone to bring first-hand reporting to his viewers. 

David Muir hasn't just braved war zones; he's also stepped into the midst of natural disasters as they were happening. The veteran reporter notably covered the devastating effects of Hurricane Michael in real time back in 2018, bringing live reporting to ABC viewers as the disaster unfolded in Panama City Beach, Florida. As the storm approached, Muir reported to "Good Morning America's" anchors from pouring rain, noting that the category 4 storm was set to become the strongest in the area's history. 

Muir didn't just stay in the area for the preview of the significant weather event, though, he covered the entirety of it. The brave reporter provided real-time footage of the storm as it made landfall, eventually taking shelter in a hotel but still sticking close to the exit so he could continue capturing footage of the gale-force winds and pouring rain as they happened. At one point, the fire alarm in the building went off, with Muir pointing out that it was the result of a power outage. Not long after, part of the roof of the hotel he and his team were seeking shelter in collapsed. Luckily, they weren't injured. 

David Muir has repeatedly reported from dangerous places, and the 2025 Los Angeles fires were no different. Muir and his team headed straight into the action to cover what was happening on the ground as firefighters fought to contain the devastating blazes, which ultimately destroyed thousands of homes. The intrepid reporter walked straight into a dangerous fire accompanied by winds that, at times, bordered on 100 miles per hour, and he and his team stuck it out for three days. Muir was the only journalist from a major network reporting straight from the city. 

He spoke to residents and firefighters alike, and even managed to be the sole reporter (and the first in history) to gain access to a flyover with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as the blaze raged on. Muir also took to Instagram to share some of the devastation first-hand, writing simply, "Prayers for Los Angeles. We'll be back out there today." A year later, he returned to the neighborhoods that were ravaged by the fires, interviewing several of the residents who had lost their homes, and revealing just how challenging it'd been for some to rebuild. 

Aside from bravely climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty for his coverage of America's 250th anniversary, which was broadcast as part of the "Disney Celebrates America" programming, David Muir also tackled some other extreme heights to showcase the country's beauty and splendor. He reported from the Redwood National and State Parks, braving a 100-foot skywalk among the redwood trees, some of which have been around for more than 800 years. Muir drew attention to the wildlife that inhabits the tree canopies high above and the crucial conservation work happening to protect and preserve the trees for generations to come. The anchor moved along the skywalk while imparting this information to his audience, never missing a beat. 

Speaking to USA Today about the experience, the veteran journalist remarked, "First of all, our phones did not work, which was the real gift. But there was this moment when we were look­ing up at this tree in front of us and try­ing to assess how old it was. We real­ized that all of the trees around us are much older than the Declar­a­tion of Inde­pend­ence, much older than this coun­try." Muir's streak of exciting reporting didn't end there either. He also paid a visit to the Grand Canyon, reporting from a narrow walkway just above it. As Muir noted, "We're about 6,000 feet up right here [...] You could stack five Empire State Buildings on top of one another and still not reach the top," (via TikTok).