August 30, 2013JPEG

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this false-color image of the Rim Fire burning in and near Yosemite National Park on August 30, 2013. The image, based on ASTER’s observations of visible and infrared light, highlights the contrast between burned and unburned vegetation. Unburned vegetation appears bright red, whereas burned areas are gray. Thick plumes of smoke are also visible billowing from the fire.

1. References and Further Reading

2. The Atlantic Wire (2013, August 30) Watch a Terrifying and Beautiful Timelapse of the Yosemite Rim Fire. Accessed August 30, 2013.
3. InciWeb (2013, August 30) Rim Fire. Accessed August 30, 2013.
4. NASA Earth Observatory (2013, August 27) A Nighttime View of California’s Rim Fire.
5. NASA Earth Observatory (2013, August 22) Rim Fire, California.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using data from NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Adam Voiland.