These two Landsat images show the urban area around Cape Town, South Africa. The more recent image (right) reveals scars from several fires that broke out in early March 2015, and were intensified by strong winds and hot summer temperatures.

The dark fire scar on the left side of the March 11 image is from a fire that had started ten days earlier and burned more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres). The dark scar on the right side of the same image is from the Jonkershoek Fire, which started March 9 and was still active at the time this image was collected. About 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) were burned before this second fire was contained.

Landsat imagery is a valuable tool for the mapping and measurement of burned extent and lost vegetation due to wildfires. As the landscape begins to recover, Landsat will also be useful for monitoring the area’s regrowth and restoration.