NASA MODIS Image of the Day: October 15, 2011 – Fires and smoke in eastern Russia and China
A blanket of smoke covered the land of northeastern China and southeastern Russia, and drifted over the Sea of Japan in early October, 2011.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua captured this true-color image on October 8, 2011.
Speckles of red, many accompanied by gray plumes, represent widespread fires burning across the region, which are the source of the heavy smoke. China encompasses the western section of this image, with Russia to the east and north of China. The Sea of Japan lies to the east of Russia. The large gray circular area which is divided by the China-Russia border is Lake Khanka, also known as Lake Xinghai. The coloration of the water is not from smoke, but more likely from sediment in the water. Lake Khanka and the surrounding wetlands are important wintering grounds for migratory birds, including several endangered species such as the Japanese Crane. Dry, windy weather combined with autumnal drying of vegetation created hazardous conditions across the region. The day after this image was captured, on October 9, officials in Heilongjiang province, China, raised the fire alert level to the second-highest level available, according to Xinhua news. Russian officials, meanwhile, reported monitoring four large wildfires in the Far Eastern Federal District, which includes the area shown here. Dozens of additional fires appear to be burning throughout the District.
