Across the plains of south-central Russia (top) and northern Kazakhstan (bottom) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite detected numerous fires, which are marked with red dots in this image from September 8, 2003. The large river making a sideways “W” shape in the center of the top half of the image is the Ob’ River, with its deep green wetlands tucked into the river bends. At the left center of the image is the Irtysh River, flowing through Kazakhstan.

The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS’ maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters.

Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC

Instrument: 

Aqua - MODIS