Burn Scars in Alaska

Credit: Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 06:00 CDT Download full size image

Warm weather and sunshine are returning to Alaska, and the snow is quickly disappearing for the summer. Signs of growth can be seen in Alaska’s interior, which is beginning to bloom with the receding snows and increasing temperatures. Despite a generous amount of snow this winter, the region is in a mild hydrological drought. This false-color image shows numerous large red burn scars from previous fires, the brightest of which probably happened last year. As the burn scars age, they fade in color until they are indistinguishable from the surrounding vegetation. The region’s remaining snow and ice are light blue. As the water thaws, it darkens to an inky black. Alaska’s numerous lakes and rivers appear to be gradually changing from the solid light blue to the dark blue of liquid water. The Aqua MODIS instrument captured this image on May 4, 2004.

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