Satellite Imagery Reveals Southern California
Infernoes
It was one of the most
devastating natural disasters in California history. The fires that
swept through the canyons and foothills of Southern California in
October 2003 enveloped more than 750,000 acres, killed 20 people and
destroyed more than 3,600 homes.
For more than a week it raged, driven by the infamous Santa Ana winds.
And then, suddenly, fog and cold rolled in from the ocean to help quench
the flames.
Through it all, numerous Earth observation satellites were used to help
firefighters analyze ground conditions and monitor fire behavior.
Satellite imagery, combined with related geospatial technology such as
GIS, was used to track the progress of fire fronts in near real time to
aid in emergency management. And now that the fires have been
extinguished, such imagery is being used for evaluation and damage
assessment.
This page details some of the many ways satellite imagery chronicled the
evolution of the Southern California fires and their devastating
consequences.
Publisher’s Note: Click on the companies and agencies below to
see many other images of the
Southern California fires:
