I just heard that the grand observatory on Mt. Palomar is at risk. This houses historic telescopes, including the famed 200 inch.
News reports from a few hours ago indicate that some of the people evacuated from the fires near San Diego are being housed at the observatory, but a BABloggee just emailed me saying that the observatory itself has been evacuated. The fires are burning out of control, fed in part by fierce Santa Ana winds.
Having lived in northern California, I am all too aware of the risk from fire. If you haven’t seen what they can do, it’s hard to imagine the devastation. My thoughts are with everyone in that area.
If you have solid information (I stress the "solid"), please post in the comments.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:29 pm
[...] structures currently at risk. There are threats though. Pasadena Star News (ironic name): BA Blog: Palomar Observatory at risk from fires? The BA is seeking info. [...]
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:50 pm
The area near the Del Mar highway was evacuated to a local staduim, sorry thats all I know.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:21 pm
The Palomar Observatory website says the observatory is closed.
That probably means “closed to the public” and “not open for
observing”, but whether they’ve evacuated the place or not is
unclear.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:19 pm
I just saw on the San Diego NBC station that the observatory is safe (so far), but that Palomar Mountain is indeed on fire.
The fires are spreading so rapidly that TV stations and the websites can’t keep up.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:36 pm
The San Diego Union Tribune has an interactive google map showing estimated fire locations @ http://www.signonsandiego.com/firemap/. It seems to be updated fairly regularly. The Poomacha fire is closest to the observatory, it’s the Northeastern-most fire on the map. It doesn’t look like the fire has made it to Palomar Mountain, hopefully it will be contained before it does.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I live very near there…and it does not look good. I can see the flames from my house and they are way too close to the observatory for my liking.
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:00 pm
The link is from 2003, but it indicates that the Observatory is pretty well prepared for a fire, so that’s at least a small comfort. I wish the best for everyone involved out there.
http://www.universetoday.com/2003/10/29/palomar-isnt-at-risk-from-fire-yet/
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I heard from a friend with family on the moutain that they are actually evacuating people TO the observatory because they do a reasonably good job of clearing out trees and brush around the telescopes there. I’ll try to talk to more people in the palomar/astro community tomorrow to get some better intel. News coverage in SoCal is all over the place because there are so many fires going on.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:59 pm
There’s already indications of some fires being arson.
Do these guys sit around and wait for Santa Ana conditions? Maybe they are organized. Some sort of Fire Club.
1st RULE: You do not talk about FIRE CLUB.
2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about FIRE CLUB.
3rd RULE: If this is your first night at FIRE CLUB, you HAVE to light a fire.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Even if the fire doesn’t engulf the Observatory, I wonder what damage will occur from the smoke and soot to the equipment…especially the mirrors.
This is where a giant bathing cap/ziplock bag comes in handy.
Joe
October 24th, 2007 at 2:23 am
[...] report said.” Hé, da’s uiteraard goed nieuws. Maar het slechte nieuws is dat volgens Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy Blog) hij via de email bericht heeft gehad van iemand in de buurt die zegt dat het observatorium zelf [...]
October 24th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Hey Phil, watch out for the Chinook in Boulder, which IIRC are a Rocky Mountain equivalent of the Santa Ana. Had a 135 mph gust blow out a window in my apartment near CU one year.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:21 am
It’s probably worth noting that many places are being evacuated because of health risks involving the smoke produced by these enormous fires. So don’t worry to much about something just because it was evacuated.
October 24th, 2007 at 8:58 am
First Mt Stromlo … then Mt Palomar …???
Cripes I hope not!
I’d touch wood, cross fingers and all that stuff if I thought it’d do any good. As I know it won’t I’ll settle for saying to all the folks at Mt Palomar and /or involved with it that I’m thinking of y’all &hioping like craxuy that the fire doesn’t hit the observatory.
BTW. Good news is Pamela Melroy & the others have launched safely in ‘Discovery’ – expect Phil’s already posted on that but couldn’t see an entry so … well I’m thinking of them and hoping all goes well there too and glad to see they’re up & away ok
October 24th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Also from my childhood memories of the 1983 Ash wedsnesday Bushfires (what you may call wildfires I think) it may or may not be reassuring to know the fire often seems a lot nearer than it actually is – the smoke and embers and glow are seen vividly a long way off.
Again, my hopes and thoughts are with the astronomers there that thefire goes out soon and nowhere near that observatory.
October 24th, 2007 at 10:52 am
from today’s google fire-map via the LAtimes (www.latimes.com/firemap):
Poomacha/Mt. Palomar Fire (NE S.D. Co.) 8 p.m.
Acres burned: 22,000
Containment: 0%
Destroyed: 50 homes
Damaged:
Injuries: 10 firefighters
Time of start: 3:13 a.m. 10-23
Possible cause: Started as a structure fire, turned into a brush fire
Point of Origin: Highway 76 near Pauma Valley
Firefighters: 225
Evacuations: Communities along the Highway 76 corridor
Last reported location: Burned south of Highway 76, burned through the Rincon Indian Reservation, then jumped I-15 westward in Del Dios area. As of 4:30 p.m., threatened Mt. Palomar observatory, one of the world’s largest telescopes. As of 7 p.m., headed westward from Palomar Mountain.
Note: As of 1 p.m., was running parallel to Rice Fire, firefighters concerned Rice Fire and Poomacha fire will meet explosively in the Del Dios Canyon. Firefighters have been pulled out of the area and residents are under mandatory evacuation.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNews reports from a few hours ago indicate that some of the people evacuated from the fires near San Diego are being housed at the observatory, but a BABloggee just emailed me saying that the observatory itself has been evacuated. … [...]
October 24th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNews reports from a few hours ago indicate that some of the people evacuated from the fires near San Diego are being housed at the observatory, but a BABloggee just emailed me saying that the observatory itself has been evacuated. … [...]
October 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I live in Solana Beach in north county San Diego. Here’s the latest from http://www.signonsandiego.com/
House-to-house battle on Palomar
Posted @ 12:35 PM
Firefighters are waging a house-to-house battle on top of Palomar Mountain to save structures on Crestline Drive, where most of its residents live.
As flames approach houses and cabins, fire crew rush in to put them out. Wind conditions are moderate now, and so far the strategy has succeeded in preventing a major property damage. Fire officials, however, say increased winds would make the effort impossible.
Palomar has about 300 permanent and temporary residences.
Fires are also burning in Palomar State Park, a popular campground, although the extend of the damage there was uncertain. South Grade Road, one of two routes up the mountain, is littered with downed and still-burning trees and branches.
Several homes have been destroyed near the bottom of South Grade, where the fire began climbing the mountain yesterday afternoon. The flames on the mountain are from the Poomacha fire, which began as a house fire on the La Jolla Indian reservation.
– J. Harry Jones
October 24th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Email this morning from a friend who lives on the mountain and was evacuated yesterday.
6 A.M. – 10-24-07 from Palomar Mt. Vol Fire Dept
The fire on Palomar Mountain Continues to be dangerous and out of control.
Yesterday we did hold the fire fire from jumping State Park Road by pre-treating the roadway (edges) with foam and back firing the road edges.
But we continue to be at the mercy of the wind and low humidity.
The fire is nearing the Palomar Christian Conference Center and the 6th Grade School.
The fire has burned up the entire South Grade and jumped East grade into Crestline.
The Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department continues to around the clock with the Forest Service and Cal-Fire to control this fire.
This continues to be a dangerous and out of control fire on Palomar Mountain.
Do not attempt to return to the mountain as the falling trees and rocks along with fast moving firestorms continue to occur without warning.
George E. Lucia Sr.
Fire Chief
Palomar Mountain Fire Department
October 24th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
here’s what i heard today from colleagues (including those unable to observe last night and tonite):
the observatory’s been closed for observations for several nights. they cut the power to the mountain, so the generator is powering essential equipment. all non-essential personnel have been evacuated. one observatory staffer has lost their house, but no other staff injuries or building losses that i know of (another observatory staffer watched the fire approach and then recede from his neighborhood). the latest information i can get on google maps (including a nice overlay of data from a plane looking at ground temperatures) implies the fire is more under control than it was before: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fwww.fireimaging.com%2Ffires%2F2007%2Fcalifornia%2Fpoomacha%2F296%2Fdoc.kml&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=12
October 25th, 2007 at 4:05 am
[...] # Howie Modellon 24 Oct 2007 at 10:52 am: (…)  Last reported location: Burned south of Highway 76, burned through the Rincon Indian Reservation, then jumped I-15 westward in Del Dios area. As of 4:30 p.m., threatened Mt. Palomar observatory, one of the world’s largest telescopes. As of 7 p.m., headed westward from Palomar Mountain. [...]
October 25th, 2007 at 8:55 am
I do not currently have the solid news you are looking for, however, I’m flying out to visit Camp Pendleton next week. I had hoped for a visit to Palomar during this trip, but I’ll have to see how things go. However, if I can, I’ll try to get as much info as possible.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:10 am
two posted stories, the second with a dramatic photo:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20071025-9999-1n25palomar.html
http://tech.caltech.edu/Tech2.0/10_22_2007/article32.html