Wildfires in Oregon

Wildfires in Oregon

Wildfires continued burning in Oregon on September 27, 2009, as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead. This true-color image shows the Tumblebug Complex Fire and Boze and Rainbow Creek fires sending smoke toward the north-northwest. Southeast of Eugene, the smoke appears to thin and turn sharply toward the southwest. The red outlines indicate hotspots associated with high ground temperatures.

According to a report from the Incident Information System on September 29, 2009, the Tumblebug Complex Fire had burned 13,000 acres (53 square kilometers). Ignited by lightning on September 12, the fire complex started as 25 individual fires, most of which firefighters successfully contained. Strong winds September 21–24, however, caused a rapid spread of the remaining fires. As of September 29, 2009, this fire complex was 25 percent contained.

On September 29, 2009, the Incident Information System also reported that the Boze and Rainbow Creek Fires resulted from a lightning storm September 12–13. These fires were initially reported on September 22. As of September 29, these fires had consumed 14,150 acres (57 square kilometers) and were 20 percent contained.

NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Michon Scott.