Fires in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa

Fires in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa

In late August 2008, Mozambique’s dry season was nearing its peak. The rainy season typically starts around October. During the dry season each year, agriculture-related fires are widespread. This image of the country shows the number of active fires (locations marked in red) detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on August 26. Skies were hazy with smoke. Although such fires are not necessarily immediately hazardous, they can have a significant impact on climate, human health, and natural resources.

NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey.