The Eaton fire, which has caused devastation around Pasadena and Altadena, California, this week is threatening important radio communication towers on the peak of Mt. Wilson.
CBS News L.A. affiliate KCAL televised live footage from a camera on Mt. Wilson that showed the blaze getting close to communication towers used by law enforcement, fire departments, television stations, and radio stations.
“So we know that the Eaton fire is approaching the Mt. Wilson peak, and it has been a major television and radio transmission spot for about the last 80 to 90 years,” a KCAL reporter stated, adding, “So it is really important for radio transmissions in Southern California because it is very high and it gives an exceptional viewpoint for the entire Southern California area.”
URGENT: #EatonFire closing in on radio & transmission towers that service nearly all local media outlets in Southern California, radio and television pic.twitter.com/tQkOewRWWQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 9, 2025
A reporter for KTLA commented on the live footage of the fire approaching Mt. Wilson and its communications infrastructure, saying, “These are repeater towers. So these are towers that not only news stations, radio stations, use here in Southern California, but in emergency events, this is very important, it’s [the] way the police, the fire, this is the way that they communicate as well, and that’s why you’ve been seeing some of our live shots. They’ve been going in and out these repeater stations. So the signals come off of the transponders down in the lower elevations, they hit these towers, and they’re able to communicate with areas that are miles and miles away.”
ABC 7 Eyewitness News said on Thursday that it also uses the antennas and transmitters housed atop Mt. Wilson, telling readers and viewers, “If the fire compromises the site, which houses antennas and transmitters, that could affect your ability to watch the Eyewitness News broadcast.”
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Mt. Wilson, located in the Angeles National Forest, is also home to the historic Mount Wilson Observatory, which once was home to the world’s largest telescope, SF Gate reported.
“As you may have seen on the news, the Eaton fire is approaching Mount Wilson. There are firefighters on the grounds but the power is out at the Observatory so communication is limited,” the observatory wrote on X on Thursday. “We are monitoring the situation and will update here as we can. Thank you for your concern.”
The Eaton fire has consumed over 10,000 acres and is responsible for the destruction of around 1,000 homes and the deaths of at least five people, according to authorities. The fire, which broke out on Tuesday, is still at 0% containment. Four other fires are also raging in the Los Angeles area, including the Palisades fire, which has destroyed around 1,000 homes in Pacific Palisades.
