December 27, 2022 - Smoke and Fire near Santiago, Chile

Fires
Tweet
Share

On December 16, 2022, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of
multiple fires and heavy smoke in Chile.

Each red “hot spot” marks an area where the thermal bands on the MODIS
instrument detected high temperatures. When combined with typical
smoke, as in this image, such hot spots mark actively burning fire.

The thickest smoke sits over and near Santiago, the capital city which
is located in the Central Valley formed between the Chilean Coastal
Range (west) and the Andes Mountains (east). A blanket of smoke also
fills the Central Valley north of Santiago, while a fire near the
Pacific coastline sends a plume of smoke southeastward.

According to local media, a dense cloud of smoke covered the city on
December 16, spurring officials to declare a Health Alert for the
Metropolitan Region. On that date, according to the National Emergency
Office of the Ministry of the Interior and Public Safety, a total of 97
forest fires burning nationwide, with 48 of those considered under
control.

Chile has been sweltering under an intense heatwave, which helped prime
vegetation to serve as tinder for any spark. The heat also hinders
firefighters, especially when wearing heavy safety gear. On December
15, temperatures in the Quinta Normal station hit 36.7 °C (98˚F). That
is the third-highest temperature recorded in Santiago in December in
111 years.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 12/16/2022
Resolutions: 1km (48.5 KB), 500m (141.8 KB), 250m (388.3
KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2022-12-27

--- up 43 weeks, 1 day, 20 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)