Burn scars marring the Kansas landscape following the fires that have blazed across Flint Hills this spring are visible from space.
Images taken by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA's Aqua satellite show the pristine landscape on March 19 compared to the pockmarked ground of April 8.
The images are false-color representations of the landscape, made using a combination of visible and infrared light that puts the burn marks into starker contrast with the green vegetation.
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The scorch marks may be a result of the recent wildfires in the area.
Wildfires have been popping up all over Kansas this spring as part of the region's natural fire season, which peaks in March and April. This year's conditions have primed the area for fires, as high levels of rainfall during the 2022 growing season resulted in large amounts of grass being produced, which are now vulnerable to blazes.
Additionally, Kansas is currently in the grips of a massive drought, with 43.47 percent of the state's area being classified as under "exceptional drought", according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor data. Only 12.01 percent of the state is free from any degree of drought.
U.S. Drought Monitor map showing Kansas's drought conditions as of April 11.U.S. Drought Monitor map showing Kansas's drought conditions as of April 11.The U.S. Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map courtesy of NDMC.On April 4, the Wichita National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch due to winds of up to 60mph across the state. These winds, combined with low humidity and the abundant dried grasses, made for prime wildfire weather.
"These strong winds along with very dry air will create extreme fire weather conditions today. Any fire that starts will behave erratically and be difficult to control," NWS Wichita tweeted on April 4.
In mid-April, after the NASA images were captured, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a verbal disaster declaration due to the large wildfires burning.
"The persistent drought is leaving the majority of Kansas very vulnerable to wildfires," Kelly said in a statement on April 14. "It is important that we have resources on standby to assist local first responders get fires under control as quickly as possible."
Some of the fires burning the landscape and contributing to the scars seen in the NASA images may be deliberate, however, as controlled burns are often carried out by ranchers during the spring, especially in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem of Flint Hills. These controlled burns are effective ways to remove old vegetation and encourage new grass to grow.
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However, Kelly has advised against any burning outdoors due to the weather conditions and the risk of other fires occurring.
"Fire season is in full force and we must all do our part to protect all Kansans," Kelly said. "I urge everyone across the state to use extreme caution and avoid burning if at all possible."
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The scorch marks may be a result of the recent wildfires in the area.
Wildfires have been popping up all over Kansas this spring as part of the region's natural fire season, which peaks in March and April. This year's conditions have primed the area for fires, as high levels of rainfall during the 2022 growing season resulted in large amounts of grass being produced, which are now vulnerable to blazes.
Additionally, Kansas is currently in the grips of a massive drought, with 43.47 percent of the state's area being classified as under "exceptional drought", according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor data. Only 12.01 percent of the state is free from any degree of drought.
