NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is preparing to resume normal operations after enduring the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Situated at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains to the north of Los Angeles, JPL faced the threat of the Eaton Fire, which caused extensive damage to nearby areas like Altadena.
The facility, which serves as NASA’s primary hub for planetary exploration, had been closed since January 8 except for essential functions to operate missions like the Perseverance and Curiosity Mars rovers. With the Eaton Fire no longer posing a direct risk, JPL intends to reopen next week.
“From January 21 through January 24, 2025, the Lab will be open to personnel needing to work on-site. Those who can telework are encouraged to do so, while final cleanup of the facility takes place,” JPL officials stated on the center’s emergency information site on Friday, January 17.
Related: Facts and information about NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
While JPL itself emerged unscathed from the fire, many of its employees were not as fortunate.
“Significant devastation in our community. 1,000 still evacuated. More than 150 lost homes completely, many others will be displaced long term,” JPL Director Laurie Leshin shared in a post on January 10.
In another post, Leshin linked to a disaster-relief fundraising site dedicated to supporting affected JPL workers and employees of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, which manages the facility for NASA.
JPL is one of NASA’s major science and climate centers—home to the Mars rovers and 1000s of people. Firefighters held back the flames at JPL’s gates, but many of our coworkers lost their homes. Here’s a thread of their public GoFundMes if you can share & support however possible: pic.twitter.com/UFllvp9fdAJanuary 10, 2025
The Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres (5,713 hectares) so far and is currently 65% contained, according to NBC News. The most significant wildfire, the Palisades Fire, has consumed 23,713 acres (9,596 ha) and is only 31% contained.
