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Wildfires Across Alaska Top One Million Acres Burned

Suomi NPP image of Alaskan wildfires
Alaskan wildfires have topped 1.2 million acres burned to date in 2019.

Wildfire season in the United States is usually severe with most of the large fires tending to be in California, New Mexico, Arizona and other hot, dry western states. This year the state with the largest number of wildfires to date is not one of them. It’s much farther north–in Alaska. The state is experiencing record heat this year, another direct effect from climate change. Record heat leads to a drier environment so that any spark can turn into an inferno in minutes. The amount of acreage burned in Alaska has already topped 1.28 million acres. At present over 120 fires are burning in Alaska with 22 being staffed and 93 others being monitored. The 22 staffed fires have burned 553,006 acres, which is more than the acreage burned by all other active wildfires in the country combined.

Another fact to note is the causes listed for these fires:

No Cause Entered: 10 fires; 3,953 acresHuman: 202 fires; 35,428 acresLightning: 187 fires; 1,243,609 acresTotal: 399 fires; 1,282,991 acres

NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite collected this natural-color image using the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument on July 09, 2019. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red. Suomi NPP is managed by NASA and NOAA.

NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks “right now.” Image Courtesy: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Caption: Lynn Jenner with information from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center (situation report dated July 10, 2019).