Each red dot represents an area of the earth that is hotter
than the area surrounding it and is indicative of fire. Central Africa
in this satellite image is teeming with red dots. That signals that
agricultural season in this area is in full swing. The location,
widespread nature, and number of fires suggest that these were
deliberately set to manage land. Farmers often use fire as a means of
returning nutrients to the soil and to clear the ground of unwanted
plants. While fire helps enhance crops and grasses for pasture, the
fires also produce smoke that degrades air quality.NASA's Suomi NPP satellite collected this natural-color image using the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument on May 18, 2016. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC. Caption by Lynn Jenner
Last Updated: May 19, 2016
Editor: Lynn Jenner
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