A satellite orbited by Earth captured the Caldor Fire, which is raging close to Lake Tahoe. It shows the magnitude of the wildfire.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA), GOES 17 satellite recorded the images that make up the time-lapse video. It was launched Monday evening (Aug. 30, 2017). The satellite's high resolution rapid-scan camera, which was designed to detect wildfires in real-time and monitor smoke coverage, was used by NOAA officials to speed up the video.
NOAA released the video on Tuesday morning. It shows the fire spreading eastward from Lake Tahoe.
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Caldor Fire, according to California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, has consumed 191,607 acres of land and forest since its inception on August 14. As the fire continues to spread, only 16% of it has been contained.
After the fire spread to the Sierra Nevada mountain range and was aided by low humidity, 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents had to evacuate their homes. Gizmodo reports that 31,000 residents from California's El Dorado, Amador, and Alpine had to also be evacuated.
According to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection there are currently 11 wildfires in California. The largest is Caldor Fire, which is second, followed by Monument Fire, northern California. The Dixie Fire, which is the most destructive fire in California history, continues to ravage Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is currently only 48% contained. The fire broke out in mid-July and has since burned 807,396 acres forest and land. It also destroyed Greenville, a historic town from the gold rush era.
Scientists believe that climate change is responsible for this year's disastrous fire season. According to data from the European Copernicus earth observation program, California has become more hotter and dryer over the last 30 years, which makes it easier for summer wildfires to spread.
Launched March 2018, GOES 17 is located at 22,000 miles (36,000 km) above the Earth. It has a steady view of the North American continent as well as the Pacific Ocean.
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