May 2, 2021 - Fires in Tasmania

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   Fires in Tasmania
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   Several fires were billowing large plumes of gray smoke across Tasmania
   on April 30, 2021 when the Moderate Resolution Imaging
   Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this
   true-color image of the island. Each red “hot spot” marks area where
   the thermal bands on the instrument detected high temperatures. When
   combined with typical smoke, as in this image, such hot spots are
   diagnostic for actively burning fire.

   With the Tasmania Fire Service reporting low-to-moderate fire risk in
   all sections of Tasmania on May 1 (the day after these fires were
   spotted), it is unlikely that the multiple fires were wildfires. While
   it is not possible to determine the cause of a fire from satellite
   imagery, given the time of year, location, and low fire risk, these
   fires are almost certainly prescribed burns—fires that are deliberately
   set and controlled with the goal of managing land.

   The Tasmanian Fire Service has issued announcements of multiple and
   near-daily fuel reduction burns across the state. Fuel reduction burns
   are a type of prescribed burn. One notable burn is a fuel reduction
   burn performed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service at
   Needwonnee Walk, Melaleuca, South West National Park. The announcement
   read, “This burn is part of the TWWHA Fire Mitigation Program which is
   aimed at reducing fire risk to visitors, communities, the outstanding
   universal value of the TWWHA, critical infrastructure within and
   adjacent to the TWWHA. This burn is also a priority to renew foraging
   habitat for the Critically Endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.”

   TWWHA is the acronym for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,
   one of Tasmania’s most iconic places. Inscribed on the UNESCO World
   Heritage List in1982, the TWWHA covers one and a half million hectares,
   or around one-fifth of Tasmania’s land mass, and contains globally
   significant natural and cultural heritage areas.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Aqua
   Date Acquired: 4/30/2021
   Resolutions:  1km (96.6 KB),  500m (217.7 KB),  250m (222.1
   KB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-05-02
 
