Is January 11 An airborne imaging spectrometer Managed by the NASA jet propulsion laboratory flew over the County of Los Angeles to question the damage of historical fires.
He Captured images Calbonized hills in the National Forest of Angeles, districts devastated in Altadena and – just west of the Eaton Fire burn scar – the 170 -acres JPL campus.
This image of NASA shows areas burned by the late Eaton in Altadena and neighboring communities. The charred trees and buildings in the developed areas seem dark brown, while the wild areas burned, especially in the National Forest of Angeles, are nuances of orange.
(NASA)
With its intact buildings and physical structures, the La Cañada Flintridge Institution escaped the worst fire. You can't say as much about your workforce.
At the height of the emergency, around 20% of the 5,500 employees of the institution were evacuated from their home, said director Laurie Leshin.
About 210 employees have lost their homes in the fire and 100 others – Leshin included – will probably be moved in the long term by the extent of damage to their house or their neighborhood. Many other evacues have not yet received an authorization to go home.
Despite the painful circumstances, the employees maintained the 88 -year operational institution throughout the disaster, in certain cases, putting for the first time in the decades of emergency training.
“There is no doubt that it was a dramatic scene the first night of fire,” said Leshin.
JPL manages The deep space networkA global network of antennas that communicate with space vessels passing by the Moon of the Earth. It has 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“We practice twice a year what would happen if we had to move the mission operations, (but) we never had to do so,” said Leshin.
As the flames approaches, the employees – many under the evacuation orders themselves – put these plans in action for the first time, temporarily relocating the control of the network in the communications complex of the deep Goldstone space near Barstow without losing data.
“It's really a heroic story,” said Leshin. “”JPL is a national treasure, and it is our people who do it. Their commitment to our mission is incredible, and they will ensure that exploration continues, whatever happens. »»
The fires follow a painfully difficult year for JPL, dismissed 855 employees and 100 entrepreneurs on site after reduction of the NASA budget.
The institution is funded by NASA but managed by the California Institute of Technology. A Rescue fund in the event of a disaster Launched on January 10 has already raised more than $ 2 million for staff, teachers and students from the two campuses affected by the fire.
Most of the cleaning and repair work to be done in JPL comes from the wind, not from the fire, Leshin said: some damaged roofs, some branches slaughtered. Buildings will reopen to staff next week, although employees who can work remotely will be encouraged to do so For the moment.
“We are really grateful to the space community and their care at this difficult period,” said Leshin. “But exploration continues, so we will come back.”
