California is ramping up its efforts to assist LA County in wildfire recovery, strengthening its ties with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Governor Gavin Newsom announced this move to use JPL's high-tech capabilities for monitoring air and water quality around fire-affected regions like Palisades and Eaton.
Stating the importance of this collaboration, Newsom said, "California and JPL are once again demonstrating the power of science, technology, and partnership to address real-world challenges," as stated by the Governor's Office. Nearly 200 JPL employees felt the blaze's heat, having lost or been displaced from their homes due to damage caused by the Eaton Fire, an event hitting close to home for the largest employer in the area.
With a new monitoring site in Altadena, JPL aims to track ambient air pollutants, including various particulate matter and gaseous substances. They're teaming with the California Air Resources Board for PM filter sample analysis and working in conjunction with Caltech's project PHOENIX, which is deploying a dense air quality sensor network to provide real-time data, as per the Governor's Office.
Water sampling is also getting a boost from JPL's technology, as satellite imaging aids the tracking of oceanic runoff discharge plumes. Coupled with the deployment of X-band radar and aerial data collection from JPL's Advanced Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-3, the state hopes to protect watersheds and manage post-fire debris flows more effectively. Prior joint ventures between California and JPL have yielded tools like the VIRGO groundwater mapping tool and assisted CAL FIRE with soil moisture sensors for fire management.
For more information and updates on LA's recovery process, including the latest on air quality, visitors can head to CA.gov/LAfires.
