21 Aug 2018

California's Mendocino Complex fire is still ongoing and recently turned the 400,000 (404,532) mark for acres burned. Huge columns of smoke still rise from the fire complex and the smoke that has risen and drifted now clouds the skies above the state.  The fire is 74% contained.

Inciweb reports that the fire is now burning through portions of grass, timber litter, brush patches and dense timber stands. Fire activity is expected to increase in the afternoon hours after smoke clears the area. The fire growth has been moving north/northeast and east for the past several days. As westerly winds increase in the day, the fire will increase rate of spread to the east as it enters east/west aligned drainages. Fire activity will remain active into the evenings. Over 9 miles of firing occurred last night on the northern portion of the Ranch Fire. Firing operations will continue as weather conditions permit. The southern portion of the fire remains in patrol status as crews continue with suppression repair and mop up.

NASA's EOSDIS provides the capability to interactively browse over 600 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks "right now". This natural-color satellite image was collected on August 20, 2018. Actively burning areas, detected by thermal bands, are outlined in red.