DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0200Z August 07, 2009

Alaska:
In the northern portion of the state, thin smoke can be seen but the
remainder of the state is covered by clouds which obscure the true extent
of the smoke.

Western Canada:
There are numerous fires throughout British Columbia and the Yukon
territories.  Smoke from these fires is dense near the source but becomes
light as it moves to the west.  A large ribbon of light smoke extends
from the west coast in northern Alaska, through the northern Yukon, into
the Northwest Territories and down to the northern border of Alberta.
This smoke is likely remnant smoke from the fires throughout Alaska and
western Canada.

Utah:
A large fire in Tooele County and another in north central Iron County
are generating light to moderately dense smoke which appears to be mixing
with sand/dust from the surrounding desert regions.

Southwest:
A thick ribbon of haze enters southern California from the Pacific and
extends east into the southern portions of Nevada and Utah.  Large scale
weather patterns suggest this is smoke from the fires throughout British
Columbia and Alaska which has been transported south.

Salemi

More information on the areas of smoke described above as well as others
can be found at the locations listed below.

THE FORMAT OF THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS BEING MODIFIED. IT WILL NO LONGER
DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS PLUMES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES. THESE
PLUMES ARE DEPICTED IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE:

JPEG:   http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/land/hms.html
GIS:    http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm
KML:    http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/kml.html

THIS TEXT PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE
WHICH HAVE BECOME DETACHED FROM AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE
SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. IT WILL ALSO
STILL INCLUDE DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOWING DUST.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR THE SMOKE TEXT
PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov

Unless otherwise indicated:

Areas of smoke are analyzed using GOES-EAST and GOES-WEST Visible satellite imagery.

Only a general description of areas of smoke or significant smoke plumes will be analyzed.

A quantitative assessment of the density/amount of particulate or the vertical distribution is not included.

Widespread cloudiness may prevent the detection of smoke even from significant fires.