Amazon Rainforest Fires Satellite Image

This natural-color image of smoke and fires in several states within Brazil including Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Rondonia was collected by NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP using the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument on August 20, 2019.

Throughout most of its history, the Amazon rainforest was relatively fire-resistant thanks to its natural moisture and humidity. Wildfires there today are caused by a combination of droughts and human activity; the intensity and frequency of droughts in turn, have been linked with increases in regional deforestation and anthropogenic climate change.When trees have less water during droughts, they shed extra leaves or die, leaving leaf litter and detritus on the forest floor. Without a dense canopy to retain moisture, much of the forestÕs humidity is lost. Additionally, the practice of Òselective loggingÓ of specific tree species and Òslash and burnÓ agriculture opens the canopy further, which also dries out the understory and forest edges.

In this image, taken by NOAA-20, the smoke from these fires can be clearly seen. This smoke absorbs sunlight, not only preventing it from reaching the ground, but cooling the surface and heating the atmosphere.