June 22, 2013
On June 22, 2013, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of the West Fork fire complex burning in the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests of southwestern Colorado. Red outlines indicate hot spots where MODIS detected unusually warm surface temperatures associated with fire. The fires were burning in rugged terrain with large amounts of beetle-killed spruce forests. South Fork, a nearby town with about 400 people, has been evacuated.
Further Reading
- Inciweb. (2013, June 24) West Fork Complex. Accessed June 24, 2013.
- Denver Post (2013, June 23) West Fork fire complex in Colorado feeding on beetle-ravaged forests. Accessed June 24, 2013.
- KDVR (2013, June 24) West Fork Complex shows no sign of relenting. Accessed June 24, 2013.
- Earth Observatory (2012, July 28) Tiny Beetles Take a Large Bite Out of the Forest.
References & Resources
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Adam Voiland.
