Satellite Shows Enormous Cloud Of Smoke From California Wildfires

The NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory has released an incredible satellite image that shows the huge smoke plume coming from this week's enormous California wildfires.

The image was caught by the Suomi NPP satellite on May 2, 2013 around 21:30 UTC.

The smoke can be seen to the left of the picture, drifting over the Pacific Ocean. The satellite was also able to catch the fire itself with its infrared energy sensors — it can be seen as a red area towards the center of the image.

Click on the image to see a larger file:

The fire the blaze had burned about 8,000 acres — or 12½ square miles — around Ventura County, around 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.