NASA Jet Propulsion Lab shuts down as L.A. fire rages

As the fire in Los Angeles continues to rage for days, NASA has evacuated its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the city.

According to the lab’s emergency page on 8 January, the laboratory was forced to close to all employees and visitors from Wednesday.

Though located in a mandatory evacuation zone, all JPL equipment are safe with no damage caused by the fire, as officials confirmed 

Wind damage recorded

The JPL is responsible for operating robotic spacecraft and the Deep Space Network used for planetary missions.

While no fire damage occurred, the lab’s director, Laurie Leshin confirmed on 8 January that the facility had been damaged by the strong winds.

“JPL is closed except for emergency personnel. No fire damage so far (some wind damage) but it is very close to the lab. Hundreds of JPLers have been evacuated from their homes & many have lost homes. Special thx to our emergency crews. Pls keep us in your thoughts & stay safe.”

The site remains closed until Monday 13 January, while Deep Space Network operations have been moved offsite to a back-up operations center.

JPL is one of NASA’s lead centers for space and Earth science missions. Operated by the California Institute of Technology, it played a critical role in many of NASA’s most famous robotic missions and is the lead center for the Mars Sample Return program.

The lab has facilities for assembling, testing and operating missions as well as the collection of antennas in Australia, California and Spain that handles communications with NASA missions beyond Earth orbit.

The L.A. fire

The wildfire in L.A. started on 7 January, caused mainly by unusually strong winds. Named the Eaton Fire, it started in the Eaton Canyons alongside other fires in Los Angeles County and has  spread to nearly 10,600 acres as of Thursday 9 January.

 Sadly, it is considered to be 0% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, despite over 50,000 people evacuated and five casualties reported.