Category Archives: GOES-15

Another PyroCb in Idaho

On 27 August another pyroCb formed from the fire at 45.4 N 116.1 W. The previous day this fire produced a pyroCb. GOES-15 detected the smoke plume and pyroCb cloud, as well as the fire hot spot. Starting at 20:30 UTC on 27 August, the animation below shows visible (.63 μm) on the left and shortwave […]

Two PyroCbs in Idaho

On 26 August two pyroCbs formed in Idaho. The first pyroCb was located at 45.5 N 115.2 W, and the second pyroCb at 45.4 N 116.1 W.  GOES-15 detected the smoke plumes and pyroCb clouds, as well as the fire hot spots. Starting at 22:00 UTC on 26 August, the animation below shows visible (.63 μm) […]

PyroCb in Washington State

On 12 August a fire in the state of Washington was investigated for possibly producing a pyroCb. This fire located around 46 N 121.5 W, and showed signs of deep convection and possibly a pyroCb. GOES-15 detected the smoke plume and pyroCb cloud, as well as the fire hot spot. Starting at 18:00 UTC on 12 […]

Rocky Fire in California

On 31 July there was a pyroCb that formed in California from the Rocky Fire (40.7 N 123.5 W). According to the Current Fire Information, this fire started on 29 July at 3:29 PM. As of 4 August the fire has burned 65,000 acres. GOES-15 detected the smoke plume and pyroCb cloud, as well as the fire hot spot. Starting […]

Stouts Fire in Oregon

GOES-15 (GOES-West) 0.63 µm visible channel and 3.9 µm shortwave IR channel images (above; click to play animation; also available as an MP4 movie file) showed that the Stouts Fire (InciWeb | Wildfire Today) began to rapidly intensify in southwestern Oregon around 2030 UTC (1:30 pm local time) on 30 July 2015. GOES-15 10.7 µm […]

Smoke over North America

In Canada and Alaska, 2015 has been the year for wildfires. As of 08 July, the number of acres burned in Alaska has been the second highest in recorded history. In Canada the acres burned already exceeds the annual 10-year average for an entire year (image below). The government has deployed 1,000 military personnel to […]