siding spring observatory fires

i work for the australian astronomical observatory, which maintains and operates several telescopes at siding spring observatory - the largest optical observatory in australia.   i've spent many nights out at the observatory over the past 2 years, and always enjoy the ~7 hour drive northwest from sydney to get there.

today, bushfires swept through the warrumbungle national park, which grows around the observatory.   the observatory was officially evacuated by the NSW rural fire service sometime around 4pm today.  i received an email notification and then started watching websites, twitter, and the facebook pages of my colleagues for updates. 

all SSO staff evacuated the observatory to coonabarabran safely, and then we were left to watch images on the all-sky webcams.   dark smoke clouds cover the view...

then the NSW rural fire service posted this image, and i started to cry.   that's the 4-meter AAT, the telescope i use when i go. 

here is a view from about 30 minutes later.  

on instagram,  mr_unicomb posted this image from coonabarabran:

the AAO's website showed the recorded temperature scale, with an incredible peak above 100 degrees C (212 F)!!

but the temperature has receded and hopefully the worst is done.

there are 12 telescopes on site.  you can watch a timelapse of the 12 hours leading up to the flames from the LCOGT telescope at siding spring: here.

bush fires tore through the mt stromlo observatory near canberra, exactly 10 years ago this week.  i remember the event in detail as it happened when i was a graduate student.   as a result of those fires, many measures were taken to protect telescopes at SSO.   tomorrow we will see how well those protections held. 

as of 19:40, we know that some damage has occurred at the observatory, but the webcams are still functional.   i remain hopeful. 

UPDATE (20:00, sydney local time, 13 Jan 2013): Astronomers cannot communicate with the SkyMapper telescope remotely, but the 2.3m telescope is still talking to computers and working. fire service has confirmed there is damage at the observatory, and two nearby properties have been destroyed.   :(

UPDATE (20:20):  the MOPRA radio telescope that lives in the valley close to siding spring is offline.  no communication.   but astronomers are hopeful that the telescope is ok, as the wind was pushing the fire elsewhere when they lost contact.

Last visual communication from MOPRA

the recently constructed iTelescope facility has power and communication to site on siding spring. 

UPDATE (20:40):  the sun has set at siding spring.   a friend in nearby coona says small flames are visible through her camera on the hills below and around the observatory.  winds are blowing north, away from siding spring, thankfully.

UPDATE (20:47): another shot from MOPRA.   this one was at 17:58, 45 minutes before the one above was taken. 

UPDATE (20:55):  perspective from australian nobel laureate, brian schmidt (via facebook):

I have had what has to be a quintessential experience of the current era- watching a fire front pass through Siding Springs Observatory live, via the internet, using all of the remote observing information we have on various telescopes, while getting simultaneous news and views via twitter. In 2003, when MSO burned down, I got a single SMS from the Great Melbourne Telescope - which told me its temperature reading was out of range - 75C. The GMTs replacement, SkyMapper, only reached 65 today (although the AAT did make well over 100C), and while it is currently off-line - is clearly not a cinder like the GMT was a few minutes at the fire went through 9 years and 360 days ago. I fear a lot of damage has been done though, even if not the wholesale destruction we faced in 2003 at MSO. Tomorrow will tell, and then will come the long, slow process of recovery.

UPDATE (21:09): fires visible on siding springs from the LCOGT live webcams:

UPDATE (21:40): a timelapse video from the MOPRA telescope in the valley near siding spring.  it ends at sunset, so doesnt reflect the current situation (lots of flames up on siding spring):




UPDATE (21:49): as an observer was leaving siding spring today around 3:30 pm, after the official evacuation was called, he took this photo of SSO during the drive out.

leaving SSO this afternoon. (credit: tom shanks)

i havent said it yet, but a massive thank you to the NSW fire services.   they are incredibly brave and capable people. 

UPDATE (22:01): it appears now, according to the LCOGT cameras, that some building are close to, or on fire now.   these could include houses where staff members live, the lodge where astronomers stay (note: no one is on the mountain at this time), and the kitchen and dining room where astronomers eat while observing.

UPDATE (22:10): fire services need bandwidth and access to the webcams and have asked us to stay off of them, so i am.  tomorrow will be a long day.

UPDATE (22:30)  one webcam is mirrored to ANU, and this photo was just captured (credit: brian schmidt)... electronics are not surviving this heat.

UPDATE (23:00): the NSW rural fire services just posted an emergency statement on their website.  the fire is still strong, but moving away from coonabarabran (where are the SSO astronomers and staff are currently) and away from siding spring.   conditions are still too dangerous at site for anyone to go and assess the current damage.   it will have to wait until tomorrow. 

UPDATE (23:15):  good news!  astronomers are able to get readings from the 2.3 meter telescope on siding spring.  the interior temperature is ok (20 C).

a reminder, please stay off any webcams that access SSO, so that fire services can use them.


UPDATE (23:55):  follow major updates from the NSW fire services here.  feel free to leave updates in the comments.

i'm going to sleep (hopefully) and will give appropriate updates in the morning when i hear them.   many probably won't be good, i fear, but i'm relieved to know that all my friends and colleagues working at SSO were evacuated in time.  equipment is replaceable but people are not.  thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and your news updates.    good night.

ps.  i'll leave you with my favorite photo ever from siding spring.   this is the view early one morning, looking out at the warrumbungles from the catwalk around the 4 meter AAT telescope.

1) the story of what was discovered the first day after the fire:  siding spring observatory fires, the next day.

2) the second day: SSO - as the smoke clears.

3) the third day: SSO - day three.

4) the fourth day: SSO - day four.

5) one week after: SSO - one week later.

6) a week and a half: SSO - a week of waiting.

7) two and a half weeks: SSO - clean up begins.

8) almost three weeks: SSO - before and after fires.

9) almost ready to open: SSO - burn scars.

10) one month later: SSO - return to science.

11) two months later: SSO - regrowth.

12) April 2013: SSO opens to the public.

13) January 2014: SSO one year later.