September 23, 2014 - Fire in central Botswana

Fire in central Botswana

A runaway bushfire began in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana, Africa, when a campfire grew out of control and could not be extinguished by the campers. This occurred around September 12, 2014. It was still burning on September 15 when extinguishing crews went out to investigate. Hot, extremely dry conditions coupled with wind have allowed the fire to continue to grow.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image on September 18, 2014. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red. Multiple smoke plumes billow from the hotspots and blow to the east and southeast.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve was created in 1961, and is the second largest nature reserve in the world. It is very remote, and the few campers that venture there are required to be self-sufficient. Winter comes to the region from May to October, and the weather is hot and dry. Temperatures peak in October, but the conditions are ripe for bushfires throughout the winter months.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/18/2014
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC