TelePIX, a total satellite solution company, has announced its plan to deliver satellite imagery analysis of the recent large-scale wildfires in the Los Angeles (LA) area to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). This analysis aims to identify the initial ignition point, determine the wildfire’s cause, and track its progression.
The LA wildfires that ignited on January 7th remain uncontrolled. The full extent of the damage and the cause of the fires are yet to be determined.
TelePIX plans to provide satellite imagery analyses to assess the current status of wildfires and support the development of recovery strategies. As of January, analysis using SAR imagery indicates that the total area affected by the wildfires is approximately 75 square kilometers, equivalent to 25.8 times the size of Yeouido. Of this, the area directly impacted by the fire is estimated to be 33.3 square kilometers (11.5 times the size of Yeouido).
As observed by TelePIX using the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-2 satellite on January 12th, the total area affected by the wildfires has expanded to 102.4 square kilometers (35.3 times the size of Yeouido). Of this, the area directly impacted measures 98.7 square kilometers (34 times the size of Yeouido). TelePIX utilized SatCHAT, its satellite-specific AI chatbot solution, to analyze satellite images of the affected region. SatCHAT renders the images on a map-mode interface that integrates graphics and text, enabling precise identification of the affected areas.
TelePIX also analyzed the spread of wildfires using weather data, such as wind direction. Optical imagery of the Pacific Palisades fire zone—the most affected area of the Los Angeles wildfires—revealed that the fire initially spread from the ignition point toward the lower left, and then to the lower right over the past seven days. Meteorological observations from that time indicated northeasterly winds on January 7th and 8th. The strong winds and gusts on January 7th significantly accelerated the fire’s spread.
Radar imagery from January 9th shows a change in the direction of the fire’s spread toward the lower right, influenced by westerly or northwesterly winds. Optical imagery taken on January 12th reveals the fire moving inland toward the city center, driven by southwesterly winds. This suggests that the fire could potentially spread to downtown LA, depending on future weather conditions.
TelePIX has also identified the initial ignition point using imagery collected by the Sentinel-2 satellite. Satellite imagery taken around 10:30 a.m. (US local time) on July 7th, the day the wildfire began, shows a large fire burning near the left side of Skull Rock in Topanga State Park, LA.
“In the case of disasters that spread rapidly over a large area, such as the Los Angeles wildfires, ground-based monitoring methods are limited. However, satellite imagery can provide a comprehensive understanding of various factors such as wind direction, weather conditions, and surrounding terrain. This information is essential for developing a rapid response strategy and predicting the scale of damage,” said Sun Jeong Ham, Director of TelePIX’s Imaging Science Research Team. “In particular, with wildfires like this, the extent of the damage varies by region, so data analyzed from satellite imagery will help establish specific relief strategies.” Sun Jeong Ham is a member of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) under the UNDRR-CC(Climate Change) and currently serves on the working group in Korea on climate change response.
TelePIX believes that satellite imagery can be applied in various areas, including disaster relief, recovery strategies, and insurance claims. Additionally, TelePIX’s analysis of wildfire damage offers a method for classifying the severity of damage to infrastructure, such as buildings.
For instance, TelePIX classified the area containing the former major leaguer, Chan Ho Park’s mansion within the disaster zone as Level 3. This classification is based on satellite imagery that quantifies the extent of fire damage to greenery and infrastructure, including buildings and roads. The severity scale ranges from one to five, with higher numbers indicating more severe damage. Paris Hilton’s Malibu mansion was classified as Level 5.