Here’s what the Los Angeles wildfires look like from space
A devastating combination of wildfires, fierce Santa Ana winds and drought have turned parts of the greater Los Angeles area into a disaster zone. Multiple large wildfires prompt mass evacuations and engulf homes and buildings. As flames blaze across the ground, eyes up in space are tracking the movement of fires in Los Angeles County.
Read more: Los Angeles Fires: Donations, relief efforts and how to help fire victims
The numbers are almost unfathomable. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, is flame tracing. As of Thursday morning, the Palisades Fire had consumed more than 17,000 acres and was zero percent contained. The next largest is the Eaton fire, at 10,600 acres and also at zero percent containment. Other, smaller fires are also active, including the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills near landmarks such as the Hollywood Sign and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The causes of the forest fires are under investigation.
ESA’s Sentinel-2 satellite spotted smoke from the Palisades fire shortly after it started on January 7.
NASA’s Earth Observatory, a public effort, shared satellite images showing the smoke and its spread from above, with an emphasis on the Palisades Fire that broke out on January 7. An initial image from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 Earth observation satellite shows early smoke from the fire on the morning of January 7. Even at this stage, it was generating a huge amount of smoke as it grew rapidly.
The smoke plume from the Palisades Fire had grown significantly later in the day on Jan. 7, as seen in this NASA Aqua satellite image.
NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a view later on January 7. The image highlights the spread of the fire and the extension of the smoke plume towards the Pacific Ocean.
“Although windy conditions are typical for this time of year, the lack of rain contributed to the dangerous fire weather,” NASA said.
Other satellites are also watching. The NASA-built GOES-West satellite is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA makes current images available to the public. Satellite view of Pacific Southwest covers Los Angeles. The satellite captured the wide plumes of smoke from the fires on January 9.
A close-up look at NOAA’s GOES-West satellite view of the Los Angeles wildfires on January 9.
The fires hit close to home for NASA. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory — a home base for many of NASA’s major space exploration missions — is in the mandatory evacuation zone for the Eaton Fire. JPL plans to remain closed until Monday. “JPL facilities, laboratories and hardware are currently secured and protected,” the organization said in a January 8 update.
Firefighters have a long battle ahead of them. Continued high winds and dry conditions are making the fires difficult to contain. Los Angeles County residents can contact Cal Fire and Watch Duty app for updates.
Here are ways to help those affected by the fires. Satellites will continue to monitor the situation from above.
English