A broad expanse of Brazil was dotted with fires in late September 2002. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image was acquired on September 23, 2002, and shows scores of fire detections indicated with red dots. The image spans from the northeast Atlantic coastline southward to where the tropical forests give way to savannas.
News reports suggest that Brazil has experienced an unusually hot and windy winter that has fanned numerous wildfires, even in humid, wetland regions. Among the most pressing problems is the reduced air quality; the extent of the smoke is clearly seen in this image.
Image by Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA-GSFC
