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Infrared Views of Fire A Yellowstone National Park, USA story

Fires  / 
Forests  / 
Natural Disasters
  1. Yellowstone National Park, USA
  2. Infrared Views of Fire
Description

In natural color satellite images of wildfires, smoke often obscures the view of the ground. In the natural color image at the left, Yellowstone Lake is not even visible. Landsat uses several infrared wavelengths, or bands, of light. If some of those infrared wavelengths are used, then different details about the location of burned areas emerge.

The combination of bands we have been looking at use two infrared wavelengths (bands 7 and 4) along with one visible band (band 2, green). This combination shows freshly burned areas as deep red and vegetation as green. Smoke from fire appears blue. The infrared bands help us see the burned areas clearly, but the smoke can still get in the way.

The third image at the left uses Landsat’s thermal infrared band (band 6) and a shortwave infrared band (band 5) to cut through the smoke to see ground conditions. In this false color image, burned areas are red-orange. This view can help people see where fire might be approaching populated areas.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 7,4,2)

Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 7,4,2)

Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 6,5,5)

Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 6,5,5)

Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 7,4,2)
Aug. 23, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 38/29) — Yellowstone National Park, USA (bands 6,5,5)

Yellowstone National Park, USA Additional Imagery & Stories

Fire and Recovery
Fire and Recovery

In these Landsat images, the old forest is dark green. In the 1987 image, this forest is occasionally broken up by lighter green grassy meadows or gra...

Read More
Frank Island
Frank Island

Besides some recovery from the 1988 fires on the west side of Yellowstone Lake, this series of images shows the effects of another fire. Frank Island ...

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Old Faithful
Old Faithful

This series shows the area around the famous Old Faithful geyser. Geysers and hot pools are the bright or blue spots within the dark green forest. The...

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Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake

As you look through this time series, see if you can identify new fires that occurred after the big 1988 fires. Even the latest image is a patchwork o...

Read More
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