Suggested Searches

1 min read

Topanga Fire

Instruments:
Topics:
2005-10-04 00:00:00
October 4, 2005

A charcoal-colored burn scar sprawls across the mountainous terrain northwest of Los Angeles, California, in this infrared-enhanced satellite image collected by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite on October 4, 2005. The image makes it clear how close the fire came to cities and towns including Simi Valley near the northern edge and Thousand Oaks at the southwestern edge. The fire burned down a ridge that separates two more developed areas. Within the burned area, some pockets of vegetation (which appears red in this kind of image), have been spared. The large image shows the entire burned area, which, according to reports from the National Interagency Fire Center, exceeded 24,000 acres.

References & Resources

NASA image created from data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

You may also be interested in:

Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.

Sprawling Gifford Fire Scorches California
3 min read

The fast-growing blaze charred more than 100,000 acres in the span of a week.

Article
Monroe Canyon Fire Intensifies
3 min read

The blaze in central Utah experienced rapid growth during dry, windy days in late July 2025, creating hazy skies throughout…

Article
Fire Burns Through Olympic Wilderness
2 min read

The Bear Gulch fire spread through dense forest and filled skies with smoke in northwestern Washington state.

Article