Dozens of scattered red dots mark the location of active fires detected in this image captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on August 31, 2005. Like rainforests across the tropics, Borneo’s forests are under increasing threat from logging, much of which occurs illegally. In swampy, coastal parts of the island, the forest floor is blanketed with thick layers of peat, plant material that hasn't decayed. When trees are cut down, the peat begins to dry out, and fire danger soars. The peat can catch fire and smolder for weeks, creating enormous amounts of haze.
NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth observatory, using data obstained from the MODIS Rapid Response team.
