The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite acquired this image of smoke from the Lake fire streaming north on June 25, 2015. The fire was burning in California’s San Bernardino National Forest. Red outlines indicate hot spots where MODIS detected unusually warm surface temperatures associated with fires.
The Lake fire was first reported on June 17, and it grew to about 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) by June 26. Unusually warm air temperatures and strong winds have fueled the blaze. The communities of Burns Canyon and Rim Rock were ordered to evacuate. Hobbyist drones have hampered firefighting efforts and contributed to the fire’s rapid growth, according to news reports.
References & Resources
- InciWeb (2015, June 26) Lake Fire. Accessed June 26, 2015
- The Los Angeles Times (2015, June 26) Lake fire grew after private drone flights disrupted air drops. Accessed June 26, 2015.
- The Desert Sun (2015, June 19) Lake Fire increases to 29,813 acres. Accessed June 26, 2015.
NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response. Caption by Adam Voiland.
