Fires across eastern Texas
GOES-13 3.9 µm shortwave IR channel + 0.63 µm visible channel images
McIDAS images of GOES-13 3.9 µm shortwave IR and 0.63 µm visible channel data (above; click image to play animation) showed the fire hot spot (dark black pixels) and large smoke plume associated with the Bastrop County fire complex in eastern Texas on 04 September 2011. This fire went on to set a record for the highest number of homes damaged (over 500) by a single fire in Texas history.
A comparison of AWIPS images of 1-km resolution POES AVHRR 0.63 µm visible channel and 3.74 µm shortwave IR channel data (below) showed finer detail in the location of the individual fire hot spots (black to red to yellow color enhancement).
POES AVHRR 0.63 µm visible channel + 3.74 µm shortwave IR channel images
On the following day (05 September), the number of fires quickly grew to over 60 — a number of very large smoke plumes could be seen growing on GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images (below; click image to play animation). The thick smoke was causing air quality problems at a number of locations. Strong northerly winds around the circulation of the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee helped to create an environment that allowed many of the fires to quickly burn out of control.
GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images (click image to play animation)
The location of many of the larger fire hot spots (black to yellow to red color enhancement) could be seen on a comparison of GOES-15 and GOES-13 3.9 µm shortwave IR images (below; click image to play animation).
GOES-15 and GOES-13 3.9 µm shortwave IR images (click image to play animation)