Soberanes Fire MODIS data — 1600 7/27

Here’s a different way to look at the fire with MODIS data. Instead of just having a binary indication of fire or no fire at a certain location, this Fire Radiative Power (FRP) plot uses colors from violet (weakest) to red (strongest) to categorize the signals it’s receiving.

This scale shows the newest outbreaks to the east of the main fire to be of relatively low intensity.

There is one exception, near White Rock:

Here’s a satellite view of the fire, as of 1:00 yesterday afternoon. Colors are actual, not false. Wind seems to from the southeast.

The fire at 1:00 this afternoon:

Zooming out, you can see how big the smoke plume is. SF bay at top left, Central Valley in center, Sierra Nevada Mountains on the right.