DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 1700Z August 05, 2012
Idaho/Montana/Wyoming/Plains States: An large area of light to moderately dense smoke was visible today stretching from central Idaho eastward into the central Plains. The majority of this smoke likely originated from the wildfires in Idaho and southern Montana, most notably from the large Halstead fire burning in central Idaho. Great Lakes through Midwest: An elongated ribbon of light, remnant smoke can be seen moving eastward through the central Great Lakes and midwest along and behind a cold front moving through the region. This is most likely a mixture of remnant smoke from the large wildfire burning in northern California as well as the wildfires burning through Idaho and Montana. Oklahoma/Arkansas: An area of light, remnant smoke was seen across central Oklahoma and into western Arkansas. This smoke is from the numerous wildfires burning throughout Oklahoma but the majority is most likely from the Bluegill wildfire located in Creek County, OK. Northern California: Moderately dense to very dense smoke can be seen coming from the very large Chips wildfire in northern California and moving towards the northwest and reaching the Oregon border. Northwest Territories/Alberta/Manitoba/Saskatchewan/: Two elongates areas of remnant smoke can be seen stretching from the northern portion of the Northwest Territories near the Yukon border southeastward into Alberta and Saskatchewan. There are likely two sources for these areas of smoke. First, it is likely remnant, high altitude smoke that has been transported from Siberia where wildfires continue to burn. Also, there are numerous fires burning through northern British Columbia and southern Northwest Territories which is leading to additional smoke be transported to the southwest into Alberta and Saskatchewan. Manitoba/Ontario: An area of remnant smoke can be seen just south of the Hudson Bay through western and central Ontario and the back side of the Low pressure system that is currently located in southern Canada. This is likely smoke from the fires burning through Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. -Belge THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE..TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE FIRE 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 ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov