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PHOTO: Fort Collins’ Galena Fire Burn Scar As Seen From Space

Robert Simmon - Operational Land Imager
/
NASA

The recent Galena Fire west of Fort Collins is 100 percent contained, but the burn scar will leave a lasting impression on the landscape.

These images were the first images takenby NASA’s Landsat Data Continuity Mission satellites. Both were captured on March 18. The first image was taken by the Operational Land Imager and the second, shown below, was taken by the Thermal Infrared Sensor.

The image taken with the Thermal Infrared Sensor blends shortwave infrared, near infrared and green wavelengths together to display wavelengths of light not usually visible to the human eye.

Credit Richard Simmon - Thermal Infrared Sensor / NASA
/
NASA
Satellite Image of Fort Collins showing the Galena Fire burn scar to the left of Horsetooth Reservoir. The scar is highlighted in red

Plants are green, city areas are purple, snow is pale blue, the bare earth is tan-pink and white clouds cast black shadows. In this image, the Galena fire burn scare is a dark red.

The red coloring in the upper left hand corner of the infrared photo isn't from the Galena Fire. That color represents the burn scar from 2012's High Park Fire.

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission was launched on February 11, 2013. You can read more on the satellites that took these photos, plus download larger hi-res versions, at the NASA Earth Observatory.

My journalism career started in college when I worked as a reporter and Weekend Edition host for WEKU-FM, an NPR member station in Richmond, KY. I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a B.A. in broadcast journalism.
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