image: Two large fires are raging in parts of New Mexico's Gila National Forest: The Baldy and Whitewater fires. Both are generating a lot of smoke, as seen by NASA's Terra satellite. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument that flies onboard NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of smoke and fires burning from both fires on May 22 at 1820 UTC (2:20 pm EDT). The heat from the fires is outlined in red, and the smoke from the fires appears light brown, blowing to the east, as a result of westerly winds. The winds earlier on May 22 pushed the Baldy Fire north and northeast to Cub Mountain and towards Jackass Park. According to the US Forest Service, the fire swept through heavily timbered areas and that caused smoke to become more concentrated. A Red Flag warning today, May 23, along with strong winds is expected to continue generating thick smoke. Visitors to the National Forest should plan on taking another route or call the Wilderness Ranger District office at 575-536-2250 or the Whitewater Fire Information at 575-533-6901 for more information as certain trails may be closed. The Baldy fire is approximately 2 miles in distance from the perimeter of the Whitewater fire. West winds are forecast to blow as strong as 50 mph near Silver City, New Mexico, on May 23, according to the National Weather Service. That will fan the fires and carry smoke longer distances. Visit inciweb.org for more information. view more
Credit: Image: NASA Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Text: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Rob Gutro