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April 20, 2026 - Fires in North West Australia
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Smoke from multiple fires filled the skies over northern Western Australia in mid-April 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the region on April 16.
While it’s not possible to know why a fire started just by satellite imagery alone, the location, time of year, and widespread nature of the fires suggests that these are most likely prescribed burns—fires that are deliberately set and controlled in order to manage wildlands.
According to the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions website, autumn prescribed burning is underway in parts of Western Australia. The site explains, “Prescribed burning helps reduce fuel loads to protect communities, infrastructure and the environment from the impacts of severe bushfire. It also supports healthy ecosystems by maintaining biodiversity and promoting regeneration. All prescribed burns are planned and conducted under strict conditions, using the best available science, local knowledge and on ground expertise to manage risk and minimise smoke impacts where possible.”
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/16/2026
Resolutions:
1km (336.9 KB), 500m (777.8 KB), 250m (1015.3 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Smoke from multiple fires filled the skies over northern Western Australia in mid-April 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the region on April 16.
While it’s not possible to know why a fire started just by satellite imagery alone, the location, time of year, and widespread nature of the fires suggests that these are most likely prescribed burns—fires that are deliberately set and controlled in order to manage wildlands.
According to the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions website, autumn prescribed burning is underway in parts of Western Australia. The site explains, “Prescribed burning helps reduce fuel loads to protect communities, infrastructure and the environment from the impacts of severe bushfire. It also supports healthy ecosystems by maintaining biodiversity and promoting regeneration. All prescribed burns are planned and conducted under strict conditions, using the best available science, local knowledge and on ground expertise to manage risk and minimise smoke impacts where possible.”
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/16/2026
Resolutions:
1km (336.9 KB), 500m (777.8 KB), 250m (1015.3 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
