Laatste nieuws rond Mount Palomar

De berichten rond de bosbranden op Mount Palomar zijn niet erg rooskleurig. De reacties die Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy Blog) toegestuurd krijgt van plaatselijke lezers laten zien dat de toestand er kritiek is. Een paar quotes:

1. # 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.
2. # Larryon 24 Oct 2007 at 3:14 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.
3. # Concerned on 24 Oct 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. (…). George E. Lucia Sr. Fire Chief.

Tenslotte wijst # Luisa  erop dat volgens deze meest recente Googlemap de branden onder controle zijn. Op die kaart zijn satellietbeelden te zien van de grondtemperaturen gemeten met golflengten tussen 8 en 12 micrometer. Laten we hopen dat ze gelijk heeft, want alle voorgaande berichten zijn niet echt positief!

Update (16.15 uur): “Dear Colleagues: There is (as yet) no imminent danger to the Observatory from the fires that are currently raging in San Diego county. However, there are a few fires in the general vicinity of the Palomar Mountain region. After due consultation I have informed Dan McKenna, the recently appointed site supervisor, to evacuate the Observatory.” Bron: NASA Watch.

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