Calif. fire to reach TV transmitters, Mount Wilson Observatory - Page 2 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Wharfe · 2009-08-31, 05:47 PM

Wow, I've been watching and waiting for the fire to hit, but looks like the worst was over! I didn't realize!

That did get really close! Props to the ones who were able to prevent it from getting the towers (for now..) .. hopefully it stays away.

99gecko · 2009-09-01, 08:44 AM

Picture from this morning at 05:36 California time:

Wharfe · 2009-09-01, 09:02 AM

So I gues the worst was not over.. too bad.. let's hope it survives yet again this time around.

Is that fire or just lights on the buildings?

Wharfe · 2009-09-01, 09:06 AM

This picture shows the lights a little more clearly. Obviously that big orange glow on the left is not a light, unfortunately.

99gecko · 2009-09-01, 09:10 AM

Compare my picture above with HDTV101's first pic from post#15.
Some of it is fire but there are clearly lights. They may or may not be on generator as I read most of the power is cut off on Mt Wilson. Clearly the aviation avoidance lights are working on at least one tower as well. The webcam is powered, but I'm assuming that is solar powered since it is on the Solar Tower.

holl_ands · 2009-09-01, 12:52 PM

There are NO FLAMES at the base of the towers...just bright lights.
Flames might be off to the right...but image was at sunrise....so hard to tell...

Apparently sometime during the night there were some hotspots down on South slope (behind towers)
and either another hotspot on the short road to Mt Harvard....or fire crews burning scrub brush.
Here are some additional towercam images for comparison and latest MODIS IR GoogleEarth overlays:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...91672&page=202

Mt Wilson Observatory says the NEW High Voltage feeder is down but the old one is still good
and that the Towercam will stop working if they lose power:
http://www.mtwilson.edu/fire.php
PS: Although they may be experts in Solar observations....and maybe even Solar Energy, but
bear in mind the entire Internet infrastructure on the mountain would also need constant power.
Which is why TV Stations have backup diesel power generators....but prob. not the Observatory.

99gecko · 2009-09-01, 01:35 PM

Holl_ands,

Any idea how far the actual towers are from the associated equipment buildings? Would they be in the field of view of the cam?

Wharfe · 2009-09-01, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99gecko

Holl_ands,

Any idea how far the actual towers are from the associated equipment buildings? Would they be in the field of view of the cam?

Judging by the pics on Fybush, the buildings are in among the towers, so they should be in view, but not very easy to see because of the trees. Consider the two previous pictures posted here where you can see the lights, those are all on buildings.

Wharfe · 2009-09-01, 06:59 PM

More updates from the site.. the Tower Cam is no longer updating due to them losing their internet.

The last picture taken contains a lot of smoke which is apparently due to their setting of backfires. Looks like it's going fairly well there.

They are posting updates here now:

http://www.chara.gsu.edu/CHARA/fire.php

holl_ands · 2009-09-01, 10:18 PM

Post #4 provided in-depth descriptions of the towers and the buildings beneath them
containing the transmitter and other equipments....gotta keep those runs short as possible.

Fol. has latest updates, including a towercam with even more WHITE smoke
(believed to perhaps have been from backfires set by fire crews):
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...91672&page=202

Here's a towercam from Noon on 29Aug without any obscuring smoke:
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8439/towercam2.jpg
Note that the towercam was zoomed in slightly since this shot.
Current activity is somewhere in all that scrub brush between the towercam and the towers.
Famous Mt Wilson Observatory is to Right and Behind towercam.

Wharfe · 2009-09-01, 11:03 PM

They've posted a big update online, things are sounding better like this place will stand a chance!!

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2009-08-31, 05:47 PM	#16
Wharfe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. John's, NL Posts: 565	Wow, I've been watching and waiting for the fire to hit, but looks like the worst was over! I didn't realize! That did get really close! Props to the ones who were able to prevent it from getting the towers (for now..) .. hopefully it stays away.

2009-09-01, 08:44 AM	#17
99gecko Veteran Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Markham, ON Posts: 2,526	Picture from this morning at 05:36 California time:

2009-09-01, 09:02 AM	#18
Wharfe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. John's, NL Posts: 565	So I gues the worst was not over.. too bad.. let's hope it survives yet again this time around. Is that fire or just lights on the buildings?

2009-09-01, 09:06 AM	#19
Wharfe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. John's, NL Posts: 565	This picture shows the lights a little more clearly. Obviously that big orange glow on the left is not a light, unfortunately.

2009-09-01, 09:10 AM	#20
99gecko Veteran Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Markham, ON Posts: 2,526	Compare my picture above with HDTV101's first pic from post#15. Some of it is fire but there are clearly lights. They may or may not be on generator as I read most of the power is cut off on Mt Wilson. Clearly the aviation avoidance lights are working on at least one tower as well. The webcam is powered, but I'm assuming that is solar powered since it is on the Solar Tower.

2009-09-01, 12:52 PM	#21
holl_ands Veteran Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,600	There are NO FLAMES at the base of the towers...just bright lights. Flames might be off to the right...but image was at sunrise....so hard to tell... Apparently sometime during the night there were some hotspots down on South slope (behind towers) and either another hotspot on the short road to Mt Harvard....or fire crews burning scrub brush. Here are some additional towercam images for comparison and latest MODIS IR GoogleEarth overlays: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...91672&page=202 Mt Wilson Observatory says the NEW High Voltage feeder is down but the old one is still good and that the Towercam will stop working if they lose power: http://www.mtwilson.edu/fire.php PS: Although they may be experts in Solar observations....and maybe even Solar Energy, but bear in mind the entire Internet infrastructure on the mountain would also need constant power. Which is why TV Stations have backup diesel power generators....but prob. not the Observatory.

2009-09-01, 01:35 PM	#22
99gecko Veteran Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Markham, ON Posts: 2,526	Holl_ands, Any idea how far the actual towers are from the associated equipment buildings? Would they be in the field of view of the cam?

2009-09-01, 06:59 PM	#24
Wharfe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. John's, NL Posts: 565	More updates from the site.. the Tower Cam is no longer updating due to them losing their internet. The last picture taken contains a lot of smoke which is apparently due to their setting of backfires. Looks like it's going fairly well there. They are posting updates here now: http://www.chara.gsu.edu/CHARA/fire.php

2009-09-01, 10:18 PM	#25
holl_ands Veteran Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,600	Post #4 provided in-depth descriptions of the towers and the buildings beneath them containing the transmitter and other equipments....gotta keep those runs short as possible. Fol. has latest updates, including a towercam with even more WHITE smoke (believed to perhaps have been from backfires set by fire crews): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...91672&page=202 Here's a towercam from Noon on 29Aug without any obscuring smoke: http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8439/towercam2.jpg Note that the towercam was zoomed in slightly since this shot. Current activity is somewhere in all that scrub brush between the towercam and the towers. Famous Mt Wilson Observatory is to Right and Behind towercam.

2009-09-01, 11:03 PM	#26
Wharfe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. John's, NL Posts: 565	They've posted a big update online, things are sounding better like this place will stand a chance!!