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GOES East Tracks Wildfires in Minnesota

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (.gov) · last updated

As NOAA’s JPSS Program satellites passed over the region on May 13, 2025, they captured the illumination for the blazes during the nighttime hours. The VIIRS instrument on the JPSS satellites has Day-Night band imagery, used to capture low-light emission sources under varying illumination conditions, including city lights and the glow of wildfires.

According to the most recent reports, the three fires have consumed a total of more than 37,000 acres, and at least 146 structures have been destroyed. 

In an era of increasingly severe wildfires, NOAA satellites provide indispensable tools for protecting communities and managing natural disasters. Their data offers insights into fire dynamics, including location, duration, size, temperature, and power, as well as smoke dispersion, improving air quality forecasts and aiding firefighting efforts.

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