File:Fires in North Queensland, Australia (MODIS 2018-10-08).jpg

English: On October 4, 2018, NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over northern Queensland, Australia, allowing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board to acquire a beautiful true-color image of fires burning across the region – as well as a stunning view of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland Government Fire and Emergency Services were reporting on seven large fires across Queensland on the day this image was acquired, several of which had been successfully put under control. By October 7, nine more fires were on report, with fire control efforts underway at most of the blazes. In the image, red ‘hot spots’ mark the areas where the thermal bands on the instrument detected temperatures higher than background. When combined with typical smoke, as in this image, such hot spots are diagnostic for actively burning fire.

Off the eastern coast of Queensland, blue jewel tones mark the Great Barrier Reef. Despite the name, the Great Barrier Reef is not a single reef, but a vast maze of reefs, passages and coral cays (islands that are part of the reef) that stretch about 2,000 km (1,243 mi) along the northeast coast of Australia.