California Fires, as Seen from Space

The 11 active large wildfires terrorizing California have killed at least two firefighters, of more than 6,400 battling the blazes; prompted a declaration of a state of emergency from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in several counties; threatened communications towers critical not only for television and radio broadcasts, but also for national security; and threatened the Mount Wilson Observatory; and prompted the evacuation of more than 10,000 homes.

More than 100,000 acres have burned in the Station Fire alone, and tens of thousands more over the last 10 days in California, and nine additional fires are burning throughout the West. Arizona, Colorado and Texas fighting one fire each, and Oregon, Utah and Washington are fighting two each.

California Wildfires, Satellite View

The smoke created by the wildfires around Los Angeles can be seen easily from space. This photo was taken by NASA of the Los Angeles County area on Aug. 30, 2009. Smoke from the wildfires has created serious air quality concerns.

California Drought Map

The entire state of California is experiencing drought, with a large portion classified as "severe drought" by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

California Fire Map

Created by the Los Angeles Times, this fire map is also available in a larger format.

See 4 Ways Global Warming Contributes to Wildfire Risk

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