NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite detected fires in two large areas of Australia. One is Cape York Peninsula where many fires are dotting the top of the continent and the second is in southwestern Australia near Perth.
The image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite of Cape York Peninsula shows many fires dotting the Cape’s landscape but most are actually prescribed fires set to burn undergrowth which can lead to larger bushfires if not cleared in advance. The Queensland Government Rural Fire Service is showing 341 permits to burn in this area, while only two “incidents” of bushfires are reported so it seems as though these fires are preemptive strikes against the larger, more dangerous bushfires. This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite. VIIRS imagery identified hotspots and smoke on Oct. 31, 2016.
The southwestern Australia fires, although they look fierce with the amount of smoke pouring off them, under further investigation reveal that many of these fires are not actually bushfires either but are prescribed fires as well. In fact, only two of the fires showing up on the image are actual bushfires and they are relatively small. This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite. VIIRS imagery identified hotspots and smoke on Nov. 02, 2016.
Actively burning areas are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner with information from the Queensland Government Rural Fire Service and the Government of Western Australia Emergency WA website