Assessment of Los Angeles wildfire based on multisource remote sensing data

This study provides critical data for disaster assessment and management. The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) activated its emergency framework to assess the devastating fires that broke out in southern Los Angeles County, California, USA, on 7 January 2025. The SDGSAT-1 payloads—Glimmer Imager (GLI), Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (TIS), and Multispectral Imager (MSI)—conducted six post-disaster observations on 10, 11, and 15 January. The wildfire, known as the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, claimed over 24 lives, destroyed more than 10,000 structures, and continued to spread as of 13 January.

The key findings are as follows:

• As of 12 January, 2025, the Los Angeles wildfires that began on 7 January 2025, known as the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, have resulted in 97.47 km2 and 54.57 km2 of damage.
• The Palisades Fire burned at an extremely fast rate, gradually dying out and spreading northeastwards on 9 January, 2025, then towards southeast with the fire point area of 2.32 km2 on 10 January, 2025, and turning to northeast with the fire point area of 2.54 km2 on 11 January, 2025, and was largely contained on 12 January, 2025. The total burned area resulted by the Palisades Fire reached 97.47 km2.
• The Eaton Fire burned at an extremely fast rate, gradually dying out and spreading northeastwards on 9 January, 2025, then towards west with the fire point area of 0.47 km2 on 10 January, 2025, and was largely contained at the evening of 11 January, 2025. The total burned area caused by the Palisades Fire reached 54.57 km2.
• The synergistic observations of SDGSAT-1 payloads, i.e., GLI (10/40m) & TIS (30m), MSI (10m) & TIS (30m), are of great importance for natural disaster management.
• Continuous observations have been planned for full assessment of the wildfire.