MSGID: 1:317/3 645d2d33
PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
May 11, 2023 - A River of Smoke Darkens North American Skies

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   Smoke from wildfires in Western Canada darkened skies not only across
   that country, but dipped southward and eastward to cross the
   northeastern United States the North Atlantic Ocean on May 9, 2023. The
   Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s
   Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the massive river of
   smoke on that same day.

   The smoke primarily originates from several intense fires burning in
   the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. A few fires in southern
   Saskatchewan may also be adding to the gray skies. The west-to-east
   length of the plume was estimated at more than 3,770 kilometers (2,964
   miles) using the NASA Worldview App measurement tools. The actual
   length travelled by the smoke was much greater, however, as it first
   was carried northward over the Northwest Territories and Nunavut before
   dipping southeast.

   As of May 10, there were 81 wildfires burning in Alberta, according to
   the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard. A situation update by the government of
   Alberta on that same date counted 23 fires out of control and 17 being
   held and not expected to grow beyond projected boundaries given current
   weather conditions and resources. The report also states that there are
   13 evacuation orders and 15 evacuation alerts in place, and the
   province recorded approximately 17,386 evacuees, 13,829 of which have
   registered at designated evacuation centers.

   Early May is typically the start of the wildland fire season in
   Alberta, as snowmelt uncovers dead vegetation that can become fuel for
   fires. This year, an unusually hot and dry spring made it easier for
   fires to start and to quickly expand. Firefighting operations in the
   central portion of Alberta have benefited from a few days of light rain
   and cooler temperatures, but conditions are expected to get hotter and
   drier again within the next several days.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Aqua
   Date Acquired: 5/9/2023
   Resolutions:  1km (6.5 MB),
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-05-11
 
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