Up In Smoke

  • Released Tuesday, June 30th, 2015
  • Updated Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 at 1:49PM
  • ID: 11893
NASA satellites monitor the occurrence and impact of Earth’s wildfires.

NASA satellites monitor the occurrence and impact of Earth’s wildfires.

Wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere consume hundreds of thousands of acres of land each year. Temperature, dryness and lightning strikes are all factors that play a role in the number of fires sparked and total area burned. Sensors aboard NASA satellites can not only detect the heat given off by wildfires and number of active fires around the globe at any given time, but they also collect data and imagery of their smoke plumes. Smoke from wildfires can be carried by winds across state, country and even continental borders, impacting air quality in regions far from its source. Satellite observations have been instrumental in helping scientists learn more about how the smoke is transported in the atmosphere and measuring how far it travels. Explore the images to see views of wildfires taken from space.

Plumes of smoke rise from California's Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park on Aug. 23, 2013.

Plumes of smoke rise from California's Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park on Aug. 23, 2013.

NASA's TERRA satellite captured this image of wildfires in southeastern Montana on July 2, 2012.

NASA's TERRA satellite captured this image of wildfires in southeastern Montana on July 2, 2012.

In this June 2013 image of wildfires in Canada, red dots indicate areas where the satellite detected unusually warm surface temperatures.

In this June 2013 image of wildfires in Canada, red dots indicate areas where the satellite detected unusually warm surface temperatures.

Smoke from wildfires covers parts of eastern Russia in this satellite image taken on May 26, 2011.

Smoke from wildfires covers parts of eastern Russia in this satellite image taken on May 26, 2011.

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Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Cover image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/LANCE MODIS Rapid Response/J. Schmaltz
California wildfires image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL/MISR Team
Montana wildfires image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL/MISR Team
Canada wildfires image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/LANCE EODIS Rapid Response/J. Schmaltz
Russia wildfires image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MODIS Rapid Response/J. Schmaltz