November 2, 2007 - Fires in Southern California

Fires in Southern California

On October 28, 2007, when the MODIS on NASA's Terra satellite passed over Southern California, most of the devastating blazes that had ravaged the area in the previous week appeared to have calmed. This image, made using visible and infrared light, shows the extent of the fires over the landscape.

Unburned vegetation is bright green, urban areas are gray, burned areas are brick red, and areas where MODIS detected actively burning fire are outlined in red. The bright pink glow within the fire locations is often a sign of open flame in this type of image. Both the Santiago and Poomacha Fires appeared to still be active.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 10/28/2007
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 7,2,1
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC