SSO Fire Problem

[theodog (Jeff)]

We have just heard that Siding Spring Observatory is being evac'ed.

Lets hope they can save it.

The mind goes back to Canberra 2003.

[Ric]

Here is the latest info for that fire.

Major Fire Updates


Emergency Warning - Wambelong Fire, Warrumbungle (Coonamble LGA) 13/01/13 16:50

Posted: 13/01/2013
An emergency warning is in place for a large fire which is burning uncontrolled in the Warrumbungle National Park to the West of Coonabarabran.

Current Situation
The bush fire is currently burning north of Timor Road towards Siding Spring Observatory.
About a dozen isolated properties at Mt Woorut, including Siding Spring Observatory, are under threat.
Police are evacuating the area. Firefighters and waterbombing aircraft are on scene.
An Emergency Alert telephone warning message has been sent to people in the area. The message has been sent through mobile phone towers, meaning people outside the immediate warning area may have received this message.
If you have received this message but are not in the Siding Spring area, continue to monitor the situation.
Advice
If you are in the area around the Siding Spring Observatory, leave immediately if the path is clear along Timor Road in an easterly direction towards Coonabaraban.
A southerly change is forecast to affect the area in the next hour. This may push smoke and embers towards Bugaldie. People in the Bugaldie area should continue to monitor the situtation.
Other Information
If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Continue to stay up to date with the bush fire situation by checking www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio or by calling NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
If you live in the area but are away from home, it may not be safe to return to your property.
For information on road closures check http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au. Roads may be closed without notice.

[CapturingTheNight (Greg)]

Live Cam http://150.203.153.131/~hatuser/wth/cam_d.html

Fingers crossed and I hope everyone stays safe.

[xstream (John)]

Doesn't look all that good.
Fingers crossed here too!

[theodog (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by obsidianphotos

Live Cam http://150.203.153.131/~hatuser/wth/cam_d.html

Fingers crossed and I hope everyone stays safe.

We can't see the mountain from where we are now. Every now and then a helicopter or fixed wing darts into and out of the smoke.

[Forgey (Paula)]

Originally Posted by obsidianphotos

Live Cam http://150.203.153.131/~hatuser/wth/cam_d.html

Fingers crossed and I hope everyone stays safe.

Doesn't look good, fingers crossed.

[Ric]

Another image courtesy of the RFS media

It looks very nasty

http://ow.ly/i/1mEIb/original

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Looks like Donna Burton has been evacuated from her property at Coona. Not great at the moment.

[gary]

They are asking people to go to the bowling club at Coona.

[dvj (John)]

My remote observing partner who is one of the managers' at the AAT says they are under evacuation orders. Our imaiging equipment has been pulled from the remote observatory on his property which is only a few kilometers down the road toward Coona. I have no other word on the fire.

jg

[SpaceNoob (Chris)]

Damn this looks bad. Hope everyone is safe.

[theodog (Jeff)]

We now have burnt gumleaves dropping from the sky.
We are 30 km E of SSO.

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by obsidianphotos

Live Cam http://150.203.153.131/~hatuser/wth/cam_d.html

Fingers crossed and I hope everyone stays safe.

Updates every few seconds... you can see what appears to be smoke / clouds rolling over the observatory.
http://site.aao.gov.au/AATdatabase/met.html
http://site.aao.gov.au/skycam/weather-large.html

[dvj (John)]

Here is a screen capture just made from the all sky camera at iTelescopes.net on Siding Springs mountain.

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3691/latestimagea.png


Dramatic to say the least. I think that's the AAT dome in the lower right corner. Sun is saturating the sensor.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/886/ssofire.png
jg

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Word is that the fire has gone "around" the observatory. Don't know how the other buildings are, but fingers crossed for all of them. Hope that this is fact.

UPDATE: NSW RFS Media ‏@rfsmedia
Wambelong Fire (Warrumbungles) 2 properties on Timor Rd have been destroyed. Parts of observatory damaged. Will fully assess tomorrow.

[mozzie (Peter)]

lets hope the sso and all surrounding properties and telescopes are all going to be all right.i hope this wasn't a .......... light fire.

[gary]

Originally Posted by Ric

Another image courtesy of the RFS media

It looks very nasty

http://ow.ly/i/1mEIb/original

My goodness. Makes the huge multi-story AAT dome and the water tower next
to it look diminutive.

[gary]

I can see they have evacuated all the way down to Steve Lees and the Motel.

It's so grassy out there which will make it a real challenge.

[Terry B]

According to the Rfs website 2 properties have been destroyed and some damage to the SSO.
See
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_more_i...738&CAT_ID=684

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Ric

Another image courtesy of the RFS media

It looks very nasty

http://ow.ly/i/1mEIb/original

Super scary photo, fingers crossed