Get the big picture: opefs.com
EARTH NAVIGATION: 0 - 0 of 19

Scale: fire brightness in Kelvin >310: : >320: >330: >340: >350: >360: >370:

Global Fire Index: number of all detected fires in the last 24 hours.

Question: How fast is the display of fire data on your website?
It takes 3-4 hours after the satellite has passed over the fire until the data is processed at the University of Maryland. My computers fetch the freshest data every three hours from there to produce the graphic display for the website. It takes 15 minutes after this until you can see it on your computer screen.
Answer: The newest fires on the screen are 3.5 to 4.5 hours old but it can take up to 7.5 hours.

The Rapid Response System of MODIS is a a collaboration between the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre (GSFC) and the University of Maryland (UMD).

The data updates for all continents happen every 3 hours, depending on the overhead passes of the satellite.

Data source: http://maps.geog.umd.edu/.

Wednesday, 15.  August 2007
There is a problem with the huge number of fires. The number of global fires is now over 26.000. My server is having problems with this, because the position of each fire must be computed, to be displayed at the correct place. This is not so bad as the problems, which our Earth is experiencing, because of this. But you may experience delays in the update of the maps from my site. As a race we will feel the effects of these fires a little bit later, of course. It is only the question if the global dimming from the smoke will balance the effects of the global warming, from the release of carbon dioxide through the fires???
Global Fires of the last 24 hours
Click to zoom into the fire map.

18. March 2007
The North of Thailand chokes on smoke from fires :
Asian Fires March 2007
Flights cancelled because of poor visibility; four provinces covered by smoke for more than a week

The haze was so bad that pilots could not land and flights had to be diverted.

Asian SmogThe smoke haze choking northern Thailand is caused by dry season stubble burning, forest fires and wood-fired cooking.

Snaphot Haze Map 18.March
Thai Haze Online


12. January 2007
Australian bushfires' colossal effect:
NASA BushfireAustralian monster bushfires have generated the power of more than 100 atomic bombs and pumped out millions of tonnes of pollution, greenhouse gas and toxic clouds. CSIRO atmospheric scientist Mick Meyer said the fires generated 2.5 million tonnes of carbon monoxide; 300,000 tonnes of volatile organic compounds such as benzene, formaldehyde and hydrocarbons; 85,000 tonnes of methane; 64,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides; and 59,000 tonnes of smoke.

Methane and nitrogen oxide emissions would add to global OPEFS bushfirewarming with the heat-absorbing gases creating an effect equal to 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. The energy produced by the blazes also dwarfs that produced by humans, according to data provided by the CSIRO and energy agencies.

Link: Herald Sun

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