Fire activity in the southeastern US
[Image source: Liam Gumley, SSEC/CIMSS]
A comparison of two consecutive MODIS true color images from the same day (viewed using Google Earth, above) reveals that numerous small fires developed (and produced smoke plumes) within a relatively short amount of time across the southeastern US on 12 March 2008. The satellite overpass time of the earlier Terra MODIS image is around 16:18 UTC (12:18 PM local time), while the overpass times of the eastern and western portions of the later Aqua MODIS image is around 17:53 UTC (1:53 PM local time) and 19:32 UTC (3:32 PM local time), respectively.
The GOES-12 Wildfire ABBA product (below) confirms the presence of widespread “fire hot spots” that increased in number and coverage during the late morning and early afternoon hours on 12 March.
