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The western U.S. is in peak fire season and NOAA satellites

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are on constant watch for hazardous conditions.

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Wildfires have been burning across eastern Oregon, Idaho, California,

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and western Canada.

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Of the fires in California, the largest is the Park Fire.

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Caused by arson on July 24, 2024, the Park Fire quickly exploded in size

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and intensity making it the largest wildfire in California so far this year.

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As of August 1, 2024, the wildfire had burned about 391,200 acres

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across Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama
counties and was only 18% contained.

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Satellite imagery and data from NOAA satellites are helping aid

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firefighters and emergency management to contain the fires.

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NOAA’s GOES West satellite watched the wildfire rapidly grow in near

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real-time, monitored the movement and
intensity of the blaze, and tracked smoke from the fire.

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The satellites also monitored the wildfire as it produced

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pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which produce lightning
and can spark additional fires.

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Video and eyewitnesses reported potential fire tornadoes,

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or rotating vortices within the wildfire.

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The VIIRS instrument onboard NOAA’s JPSS satellites also helps detect

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the location of fires, and tracks the movement of smoke.

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Data collected by VIIRS is used to produce the HRRR-smoke model.

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This tracks and predicts the movement of smoke.

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Tracking the smoke allows forecasters
to warn communities of poor air quality.

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The data from both GOES and JPSS provide vital information to support

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firefighting efforst and to assess the
environmental impact after the fires have burned out.

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Together, NOAA satellites keep watch while providing

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accessible critical data to fight wildfires.

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Earth From Orbit: NOAA Satellites Monitor Wildfires

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Additional photo and video courtesy of CalFire and UC San Diego.

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NASA Meatball

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