File:Fires in Oregon (MODIS 2018-09-08).jpg

English: On September 5, 2018, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over the Pacific Northwest and acquired a true-color image of multiple fires burning across Oregon. Dry, hot conditions have spurred a strong fire season across the western United States. Although California’s critically intense wildfires have captured most attention, many dozens of fires have blazed across Washington and Oregon as well as other western states.

In this image, each red hot spot marks an area where the thermal bands on the MODIS instrument detected high temperatures. When accompanied by typical smoke, as in this image, such hot spots mark actively burning fire.

The most southerly fire appears to be the Natchez Fire, which burns just south of the Oregon/California border between Happy Camp, California and Cave Junction, Oregon. Sparked by lightning on July 15, the flames had consumed 31,361 acres of timber, brush, and hardwood litter. The update from Inciweb on September 7 noted that hot temperatures and low relative humidity are providing active burning conditions and the south end of the fire continues to make uphill runs with short range spotting. All fuel types are burning readily and contributing to active fire. More than 300 personnel are working the fire and it remains only 70% contained.

To the northwest, two fires burn closely together: the Klondike Fire and the Taylor Creek Fire. Both fires were ignited by lightning on July 15. As of September 3, the Taylor Creek Fire was considered 95% contained after consuming 52,839 acres. On September 7, the Klondike Fire was only 51% contained and had charred 117,458 acres.