{"id":511109,"date":"2026-08-17T14:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T14:01:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T04:01:00","slug":"chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=511109","title":{"rendered":"Chasing Fire Clouds in Utah"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none width-full flex-align-center bg-carbon-90 border-color-carbon-80 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class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/search\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Search<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-spacer\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module alignwide wp-block-nasa-blocks-image-before-after\">\n<div class=\"NasaBlocksImageBeforeAfterBlock grid-container grid-row grid-container-block bg-spacesuit-white padding-x-0 padding-y-6 margin-x-auto nasa-block-align-wide\">\n<div class=\"padding-x-0 grid-col-12\">\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- curtain view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-comparison-slider-parent comparison-view-active\">\n\t\t\t\t<img-comparison-slider><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" slot=\"first\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" slot=\"second\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/img-comparison-slider><\/p>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\">Natural Color<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-after\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\">Brightness Temperature<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- toggle view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"toggle-comparison-parent\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- if image_1 is active the show image_1 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover toggle-view-image toggle-view-before-image toggle-view-active\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1635\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"Textured gray wildfire smoke streams east from a fire burning near Fishlake National Forest. A dark shadow is visible to the east of a tall plume near the fire front.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=300&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=768&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=775&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1163&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1550&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=400&#038;h=303&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=600&#038;h=454&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=900&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=908&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1514&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA Earth Observatory\/Michala Garrison<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<!-- if image_2 is active the show image_2 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover toggle-view-image toggle-view-after-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1635\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"A data visualization shows the cloud-top brightness temperature of the same scene. Tall, cold smoky clouds appear white, and warmer plumes at lower heights appear purple.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=300&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=768&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=775&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1163&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1550&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=400&#038;h=303&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=600&#038;h=454&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=900&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=908&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1514&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA Earth Observatory\/Michala Garrison<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"toggle-button-container padding-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"toggle-view-before-button toggle-comparison-view-active margin-right-1px\"><span class=\"toggle-view-before-label\">Natural Color<\/span><\/button><button class=\"toggle-view-after-button margin-left-1px\"><span class=\"toggle-view-after-label\">Brightness Temperature<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- 2-up view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"two-up-view position-relative bg-carbon-10\">\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-3 padding-top-4 padding-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1635\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"Textured gray wildfire smoke streams east from a fire burning near Fishlake National Forest. A dark shadow is visible to the east of a tall plume near the fire front.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=300&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=768&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=775&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1163&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1550&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=400&#038;h=303&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=600&#038;h=454&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=900&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=908&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1514&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA Earth Observatory\/Michala Garrison<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bg-spacesuit-white width-2px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-3 padding-top-4 padding-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1635\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"A data visualization shows the cloud-top brightness temperature of the same scene. Tall, cold smoky clouds appear white, and warmer plumes at lower heights appear purple.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=300&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=768&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=775&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1163&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1550&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=400&#038;h=303&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=600&#038;h=454&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=900&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=908&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1514&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA Earth Observatory\/Michala Garrison<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNatural Color\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-after\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBrightness Temperature\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- Under image content --><\/p>\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-row title-row padding-x-2 desktop:padding-x-0 padding-top-2\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 button-row margin-bottom-3 tablet:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Update onClick handlers --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Curtain view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view curtain-view-button comparison-view-active padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Curtain<\/button><button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Toggle view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view toggle-view-button padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Toggle<\/button><button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Two-Up view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view two-up-view-button padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>2-Up<\/button>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- Image detail area --><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-details-panel padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"before-after-details-divider padding-y-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- OnClick handleImageDetailsClick --><button class=\"image-details-toggle-button\"><span>Image Details<\/span><!-- style - if showImageDetails, then transform rotate(180deg), else none --><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"14\" height=\"15\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 15\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"7\" cy=\"7.5\" r=\"6.5\" stroke=\"#58585B\" \/><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.0002 8.23854L9.26318 5.95996L9.80019 6.50067L7.0002 9.31996L4.2002 6.50067L4.73721 5.95996L7.0002 8.23854Z\" fill=\"#58585B\" \/><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<!-- if showImageDetails, then display --><\/p>\n<div id=\"image-details\" class=\" padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-2\">\n<div class=\"image-details-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA smoke-infused pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) rises from the Widemouth 2 fire in Utah in these images captured by the <a href=\"https:\/\/modis.gsfc.nasa.gov\/about\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">MODIS<\/a> (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/aqua.nasa.gov\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">Aqua<\/a> satellite. The left image is natural color; the right image is false color, revealing cloud-top brightness temperatures below -40\u00b0C, a commonly used threshold for identifying pyroCbs. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- File List --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scientists have long known that volcanoes can launch large quantities of particles into the <a href=\"https:\/\/scied.ucar.edu\/learning-zone\/atmosphere\/stratosphere\" rel=\"noopener\">stratosphere<\/a>. In the past few decades, it has become clear that wildfires do this, too, by generating towering, smoke-infused <a href=\"https:\/\/glossary.ametsoc.org\/wiki\/pyrocumulonimbus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">pyrocumulonimbus<\/a> (pyroCb) clouds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The largest pyroCbs are stunning weather-making features that generate massive <a href=\"https:\/\/weather.com\/news\/weather\/news\/2025-08-26-weather-words-thunderhead\" rel=\"noopener\">thunderheads<\/a> capable of unleashing lightning, hail, and heavy rain. A growing body of research shows that pyroCbs can also leave an outsized imprint on the upper atmosphere by channeling pulses of particles and gases into the stratosphere\u2019s mostly dry, cloudless confines. Once there, smoke can spread widely and linger for months or years, sometimes circling the globe and likely influencing the ozone layer and Earth\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/climate-and-earths-energy-budget\/\" rel=\"noopener\">energy budget<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding these enigmatic and dangerous clouds is why a team of atmospheric scientists\u2014part of a NASA mission called <a href=\"https:\/\/espo.nasa.gov\/inspyre\" rel=\"noopener\">INSPYRE<\/a> (INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment)\u2014is spending the summer chasing them with NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/airbornescience.nasa.gov\/aircraft\/ER-2_-_AFRC\" rel=\"noopener\">ER-2<\/a> aircraft, NSF\/NCAR\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/airbornescience.nasa.gov\/aircraft\/Gulfstream_V_NSF_NCAR\" rel=\"noopener\">GV<\/a>, and a suite of <a href=\"https:\/\/espo.nasa.gov\/inspyre\/image\/Ground_team_capturing_data_at_the_Widemouth_2_fire\" rel=\"noopener\">truck-based sensors<\/a>. The team completed one of its first sampling runs of the summer on August 3, 2026, when the GV flew through a high-altitude pulse of smoke from the <a href=\"https:\/\/inciweb.wildfire.gov\/incident-photos-gallery\/utfif-widemouth-2-fire\" rel=\"noopener\">Widemouth 2 fire<\/a>, one of Utah\u2019s largest so far <a href=\"https:\/\/attheu.utah.edu\/facultystaff\/utahs-historic-fire-season-of-2026\/\" rel=\"noopener\">this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lightning ignited the fire on July 27, 2026, but it remained relatively small until August 2, when it more than doubled in size amid intense winds and hot, dry conditions. That afternoon, soon after it had produced two pyroCb bursts, the <a href=\"https:\/\/modis.gsfc.nasa.gov\/about\/\" rel=\"noopener\">MODIS<\/a> (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/aqua.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Aqua<\/a> satellite captured this image (above), showing a chimney of high-altitude cloud and smoke casting a shadow on low-altitude smoke below.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These bursts propelled clouds high enough that Aqua measured cloud-top brightness temperatures well below \u221240\u00b0C, a common threshold for identifying pyroCbs and a sign that the cloud tops were bubbling to the top of the <a href=\"https:\/\/scied.ucar.edu\/learning-zone\/atmosphere\/troposphere\" rel=\"noopener\">troposphere<\/a> and sometimes into the stratosphere. The brightness temperature measurements \u201creveal two discrete pulses of pyroCb action,\u201d said Michael Fromm, a scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. \u201cThe westernmost is the youngest pulse and stands out in the visible imagery by virtue of its shadow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though relatively routine and minor, this pyroCb event followed a pre-dawn pyroCb from the same fire, <a href=\"https:\/\/go.nasa.gov\/4xDNQA0\" rel=\"noopener\">imaged<\/a> by the NOAA weather satellite GOES-West. \u201cMorning pyroCbs are much more unusual,\u201d Fromm said, because they don\u2019t benefit from daytime heating that helps fuel convection. In this case, however, there appeared to be enough atmospheric instability and <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1029\/2024GL114025\" rel=\"noopener\">water vapor<\/a> in the air to allow for pyroCb development.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multiple pyroCbs in a single day could have added unwanted complexity for forecasters and fire officials battling the blaze and organizing evacuations, said David Peterson, INSPYRE\u2019s principal investigator. \u201cMinimizing that sort of uncertainty for fire forecasters is a big part of the reason we\u2019re out here studying this,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remote sensing experts like Peterson and Fromm routinely study pyroCbs from afar with satellites, but it\u2019s less common for pilots to chase and sample smoke plumes just hours after they form. In this case, the GV aircraft, on the ground in Colorado when the Widemouth 2 fire blew up, made a beeline for a high-altitude smoke plume as it drifted over New Mexico on August 3. The instruments on the plane sampled smoke at roughly 12 kilometers (8 miles) above the surface, collecting data at a height that isn\u2019t typically incorporated into forecast models.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-wide\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An aerial image shows a thick, puffy white cloud rising high above a patch of darker smoke visible near a surface of variable mountainous terrain.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=768&#038;h=576&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=400&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=600&#038;h=450&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocu_20260803_pho.jpg?w=900&#038;h=675&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">A photo of the Widemouth 2 fire taken from an INSPYRE aircraft during a sampling flight on August 3, 2026, shows a smoke-infused cloud rising high above the fire.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">Bernadett Weinzierl\/University of Vienna<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During that mission, a scientist on board captured this image (above) of a <a href=\"https:\/\/glossary.ametsoc.org\/wiki\/pyrocumulus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">pyrocumulus<\/a> (pyroCu) billowing up over the Widemouth 2 fire. While not as tall or energetic as pyroCbs, pyroCus are precursor clouds that share many of the same characteristics. Here, heat from the fire is fueling strong convective updrafts, forming a towering cloud with puffy <a href=\"https:\/\/glossary.ametsoc.org\/wiki\/overshooting-top\/\" rel=\"noopener\">overshooting tops<\/a> that poke into the upper troposphere as lower-altitude smoke drifts below.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Satellites excel at identifying pyroCbs by measuring the temperature of the cloud tops that form above smoke plumes. Using this technique, researchers have established that wildfires produce about 70 pyroCbs per year, many in dense forests of Canada and Russia, though plenty also occur in grasslands and savannas in the United States and Australia. So far in 2026, Fromm and colleagues have identified at least 13 in the continental United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since one of the first pyroCbs appeared in the scientific literature in the early 2000s, scientists have cataloged well over <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41612-025-01188-5\" rel=\"noopener\">700<\/a> events, and they now believe that wildfires may contribute up to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.add3101\" rel=\"noopener\">25 percent<\/a><strong> <\/strong>of the black carbon and organic <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/aerosols\/\" rel=\"noopener\">aerosols<\/a> in the lower stratosphere. The sheer frequency of pyroCbs means that the total mass of particles they inject over the course of a wildfire season may rival that of large volcanic eruptions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, many questions about the enigmatic clouds remain unanswered. It isn\u2019t clear what vegetation is most likely to fuel pyroCbs, why some form more lightning than others, why they form in only a small fraction of fires, and how to accurately forecast them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhether it be their dangerous manifestations on the ground or their long-lasting imprint on the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere,\u201d Fromm said, \u201cpyroCbs continue to surprise us.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:33px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthdata.nasa.gov\/data\/projects\/lance\" rel=\"noopener\">EOSDIS LANCE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">GIBS\/Worldview<\/a>.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/espo.nasa.gov\/inspyre\/image\/PyroCu_observed_during_GV_RF04\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/espo.nasa.gov\/inspyre\/image\/PyroCu_observed_during_GV_RF04\" rel=\"noopener\">Photo<\/a> by Bernadett Weinzierl\/University of Vienna.<\/em> <em>Story by Adam Voiland.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-featured-file-list bg-spacesuit-white padding-x-2 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-4 padding-y-5 desktop:padding-y-6 hds-module align wp-block-nasa-blocks-file-list\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row width-full margin-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col display-flex flex-align-center desktop:flex-justify-end\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1440&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Textured gray wildfire smoke streams east from a fire burning near Fishlake National Forest. A dark shadow is visible to the east of a tall plume near the fire front.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.5); transform-origin: 49% 54%; object-position: 49% 54%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" data-video-loop=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1440&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=300&#038;h=200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=768&#038;h=512&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=683&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1024&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1365&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=400&#038;h=267&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=600&#038;h=400&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=900&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=800&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1333&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">August 2, 2026: Natural Color<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">JPEG (1.63 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download August 2, 2026: Natural Color\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_20260802_lrg.jpg\"  download rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"16\" cy=\"16.0001\" r=\"16\" fill=\"#1C67E3\"\/><path d=\"M15.2357 8.00007L15.2357 16.4829L11.9504 13.4078L10.8801 14.4094L16.0001 19.2001L21.1201 14.4094L20.0499 13.4078L16.7645 16.4829L16.7645 8.00007L15.2357 8.00007Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M9.6 20.8001V18.4001H8V22.4001H24V18.4001H22.4V20.8001H9.6Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2160\" height=\"1635\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A data visualization shows the cloud-top brightness temperature of the same scene. Tall, cold smoky clouds appear white, and warmer plumes at lower heights appear purple.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.5); transform-origin: 50% 34%; object-position: 50% 34%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" data-video-loop=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2160&#038;h=1635&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2160w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=300&#038;h=227&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=768&#038;h=581&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=775&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1163&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1550&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=400&#038;h=303&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=600&#038;h=454&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=900&#038;h=681&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=908&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1514&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">August 2, 2026: Brightness Temperature<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">JPEG (1.07 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download August 2, 2026: Brightness Temperature\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahpyrocb_amo_brighttemp_20260802_lrg.jpg\"  download rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"16\" cy=\"16.0001\" r=\"16\" fill=\"#1C67E3\"\/><path d=\"M15.2357 8.00007L15.2357 16.4829L11.9504 13.4078L10.8801 14.4094L16.0001 19.2001L21.1201 14.4094L20.0499 13.4078L16.7645 16.4829L16.7645 8.00007L15.2357 8.00007Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M9.6 20.8001V18.4001H8V22.4001H24V18.4001H22.4V20.8001H9.6Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"An aerial image shows a thick, puffy white cloud rising high above a patch of darker smoke visible near a surface of variable mountainous terrain.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 58% 17%; object-position: 58% 17%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" data-video-loop=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=768&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=768&#038;h=576&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=400&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=600&#038;h=450&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg?w=900&#038;h=675&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">August 3, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">JPEG (319.28 KB)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download August 3, 2026\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/chasing-fire-clouds-in-utah\/utahfire_pyrocb_20260803_pho_lrg.jpg\"  download rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"16\" cy=\"16.0001\" r=\"16\" fill=\"#1C67E3\"\/><path d=\"M15.2357 8.00007L15.2357 16.4829L11.9504 13.4078L10.8801 14.4094L16.0001 19.2001L21.1201 14.4094L20.0499 13.4078L16.7645 16.4829L16.7645 8.00007L15.2357 8.00007Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M9.6 20.8001V18.4001H8V22.4001H24V18.4001H22.4V20.8001H9.6Z\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References &#038; Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CIRA CSU, via Instagram \u00a0(2026, August 3) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DbmCXvNAOti\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Yesterday, the Widemouth 2 Fire in central Utah exploded<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>Denver 7, via Instagram (2026, July 28) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DbWpV3aPmPz\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Have you ever seen a smoke-filled cloud above a wildfire<\/a>? Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li><em>The Economist<\/em> (2026, August 9) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/science-and-technology\/2026\/08\/09\/nasa-takes-aim-at-fire-storms\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA takes aim at fire storms<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>Fromm, M., <em>et al.<\/em> (2022) <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s43247-022-00566-8\" rel=\"noopener\">Understanding the critical elements of the pyrocumulonimbus storm sparked by high-intensity wildland fire<\/a>. <em>Communications Earth &#038; Environment,<\/em> 3, 243.<\/li>\n<li>InciWeb (2026) <a href=\"https:\/\/inciweb.wildfire.gov\/incident-photos-gallery\/utfif-widemouth-2-fire\" rel=\"noopener\">Widemouth 2 Fire<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>Katich, J.M. (2023) <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.add3101\" rel=\"noopener\">Pyrocumulonimbus affect average stratospheric aerosol composition<\/a>. <em>Science,<\/em> 379(6634), 815-820.<\/li>\n<li>NASA (2026) <a href=\"https:\/\/espo.nasa.gov\/inspyre\" rel=\"noopener\">INSPYRE<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2026, July 20) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/new-nasa-earth-missions-gear-up-to-start-science-flights\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/new-nasa-earth-missions-gear-up-to-start-science-flights\/\" rel=\"noopener\">New NASA Earth Missions Gear Up to Start Science Flights<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>NASA Airborne Science Program (2026) <a href=\"https:\/\/airbornescience.nasa.gov\/tracker\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth Science Observation Platforms<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>NASA Earth Observatory (2021, July 30) <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/a-summer-of-fire-breathing-smoke-storms-148630\/\" rel=\"noopener\">A Summer of Fire-Breathing Smoke Storms<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>NASA Earth Observatory (2020, January 10) <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/explosive-fire-activity-in-australia-146125\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Explosive Fire Activity in Australia<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>Peterson, D., <em>et al.<\/em> (2025) <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41612-025-01188-5\" rel=\"noopener\">Worldwide inventory reveals the frequency and variability of pyrocumulonimbus and stratospheric smoke plumes during 2013\u20132023<\/a>. <em>Climate and Atmospheric Science, <\/em>8(325).<\/li>\n<li>The University of Utah (2026, August 6) <a href=\"https:\/\/attheu.utah.edu\/facultystaff\/utahs-historic-fire-season-of-2026\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Utah\u2019s historic fire season of 2026<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (2026, June 2) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrl.navy.mil\/Media\/News\/Article\/4505096\/nrl-leads-nasa-wildfire-research-mission-to-better-predict-pyrocumulonimbus-sto\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NRL Leads NASA Wildfire Research Mission to Better Predict Pyrocumulonimbus Storm Hazards<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (2025, June 25) <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/yhW5n9g5MQY?si=HEzDmlgjH4raZ5gB\" rel=\"noopener\">Fiery Storms: How Wildfires Create \u201cDirty Thunderstorms\u201d and Impact Weather<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>The Weather Channel (2026, August 10) <a href=\"https:\/\/weather.com\/2026\/08\/07\/news\/weather\/scientists-are-flying-into-wildfire-thunderstorms-to-help-improve-forecasts\" rel=\"noopener\">Meet the scientists who are flying into fire-breathing thunderstorms, and learn why they are doing it<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>Western Fire Chiefs (2026) <a href=\"https:\/\/wfca.com\/fire-map\/utah\/widemouth_2\" rel=\"noopener\">Widemouth 2<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>World Meteorological Organization, <a href=\"https:\/\/cloudatlas.wmo.int\/en\/flammagenitus.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Flammagenitus<\/a>. Accessed August 13, 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-content-lists-inner hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-content-lists\">\n<div id=\"content-list-add977fe-8ff1-4c60-a5b2-35fe2f5572da\" class=\"hds-content-lists margin-y-3 padding-x-0 bg-spacesuit-white width-full maxw-full\" 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class=\"grid-container grid-container-widescreen padding-x-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-start margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<h2 class=\"section-heading-sm line-height-sm\">You may also be interested in:<\/h2>\n<p class=\"margin-top-0 margin-bottom-2 maxh-tablet\">Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container grid-container-block padding-0 margin-0 flex-justify-center\">\n<div class=\" grid-col-12\">\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container grid-container-block padding-0\" style=\"display: block\">\n<div id=\"filter-tags\" class=\"grid-col-12 filter-tags-container\"><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"smd-orbit-loader\" role=\"status\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"orbit-plane\"><span class=\"orbit-dot\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-list-container\" class=\"hds-content-items hds-content-items-grid margin-top-2\" aria-live=\"polite\" data-rest-url=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/smd\/v1\/content-list\">\n<div class=\"hds-content-item content-list-item-post\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/cottonwood-fire-chars-utah\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-thumbnail\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  content-list-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300px\" height=\"300px\" data-no-id=\"true\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/cottonwood-fire-chars-utah\/utcottonwoodfire_oli_20260629_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;w=300 300w\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/cottonwood-fire-chars-utah\/utcottonwoodfire_oli_20260629_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;%23038;w=300\" ><\/figure>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-inner\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/cottonwood-fire-chars-utah\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-heading\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-a11y-heading-22\">Cottonwood Fire Chars Utah<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-readtime label margin-bottom-1\">\n                    5 min read                <\/div>\n<p class=\"margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">The blaze burned more than 150 square miles and swept through parts of a ski resort.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-auto\"><svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><span>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item content-list-item-post\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/ontario-wildfire-smoke-moves-east\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-thumbnail\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  content-list-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300px\" height=\"300px\" data-no-id=\"true\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/ontario-wildfire-smoke-drifts-east\/ontariofires_virs3_20260714_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;w=300 300w\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/ontario-wildfire-smoke-drifts-east\/ontariofires_virs3_20260714_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;%23038;w=300\" ><\/figure>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-inner\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/ontario-wildfire-smoke-moves-east\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-heading\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-a11y-heading-22\">Ontario Wildfire Smoke Moves East<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-readtime label margin-bottom-1\">\n                    3 min read                <\/div>\n<p class=\"margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">Canadian wildfires sent plumes of smoke streaming over Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S. Midwest and Northeast.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-auto\"><svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><span>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item content-list-item-post\">\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/cascade-volcanoes-shrouded-in-smoke\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-thumbnail\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  content-list-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300px\" height=\"300px\" data-no-id=\"true\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/cascade-volcanoes-shrouded-in-smoke\/ISS075-E-2221_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;w=300 300w\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/2026\/cascade-volcanoes-shrouded-in-smoke\/ISS075-E-2221_th.jpg?fit=clip&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint&#038;%23038;w=300\" ><\/figure>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-inner\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/cascade-volcanoes-shrouded-in-smoke\/\" class=\"hds-content-item-heading\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-a11y-heading-22\">Cascade Volcanoes Shrouded in Smoke<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-content-item-readtime label margin-bottom-1\">\n                    3 min read                <\/div>\n<p class=\"margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">From the International Space Station, astronauts photographed Mount Hood and Mount Rainier as wildfire smoke spread across the Pacific Northwest\u2026<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-auto\"><svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><span>Article<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"pagination-container\" class=\"pagination\">\n<nav class=\"hds-pagination hds-pagination--content-lists\" role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Pagination Navigation\" data-mid-size=\"2\" data-end-size=\"1\" data-max-pages=\"4\" >\n<span aria-current=\"page\" class=\"page-numbers current\" 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src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/about\/NASA-EO-Logo-mediumBlue2016-stacked-mark.png?w=585&#038;h=425&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/about\/NASA-EO-Logo-mediumBlue2016-stacked-mark.png?w=585&#038;h=425&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 585w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/about\/NASA-EO-Logo-mediumBlue2016-stacked-mark.png?w=300&#038;h=218&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/about\/NASA-EO-Logo-mediumBlue2016-stacked-mark.png?w=400&#038;h=291&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/earth-observatory\/image-of-the-day\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Earth Observatory Image of the Day<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">NASA&#8217;s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1407\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=2500&#038;h=1407&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=2500&#038;h=1407&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2500w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=300&#038;h=169&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=768&#038;h=432&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=576&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=864&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=2048&#038;h=1153&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=400&#038;h=225&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=600&#038;h=338&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=900&#038;h=507&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=675&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/eo\/images\/iotd\/iotd-banner.jpg?w=2000&#038;h=1126&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/explore\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Explore Earth Science<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=1920&#038;h=1920&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=1920&#038;h=1920&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1920w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=150&#038;h=150&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 150w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=300&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=768&#038;h=768&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=1024&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=1536&#038;h=1536&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=50&#038;h=50&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 50w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=100&#038;h=100&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 100w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=200&#038;h=200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 200w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=400&#038;h=400&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=600&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=900&#038;h=900&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/NHQ202212160009\/NHQ202212160009~large.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=1200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/data\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Earth Science Data<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">Open access to NASA\u2019s archive of Earth science data<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png 3600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=300,150 300w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=768,384 768w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=1024,512 1024w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=1536,768 1536w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=2048,1024 2048w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=400,200 400w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=600,300 600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=900,450 900w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=1200,600 1200w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/biosphere-sea-2008-lrg.png?resize=2000,1000 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA aircraft are sampling smoke lofted high into the atmosphere by one of the most formidable cloud types in the sky\u2014towering, smoke-infused pyrocumulonimbus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19755,9656,16994,16585,13210],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-511109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aqua","category-clouds","category-earth-observatory","category-moderate-resolution-imaging-spectroradiometer-modis","category-wildfires"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 5.0.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"NASA aircraft are sampling smoke lofted high into the atmosphere by one of the most formidable cloud types in the sky\u2014towering, smoke-infused 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