Fires and Burn Scars in the United States

With the return of the growing season, fires are beginning to appear all over the United States. This true-color Terra MODIS image from April 2, 2005, shows the fires, which are marked in red, scattered across the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas (from right to left in rows, top to bottom), though concentrated most heavily in Kansas and Oklahoma. Some of the fires seem to have dark shadows on the ground near them; these dark spots are burn scars. Burn scars, which appear dark red in this false-color image, are the scorched aftermath of a fire. They generally last from one to two growing seasons, depending on the rate of plant growth.

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Jeff Schmaltz

Published January 5, 2005
Data acquired April 2, 2005

Source:

Terra > MODIS

Collection:

MODIS Image of the Day