California’s wildfires are so hot that NASA can detect their temperatures from space

High temperatures and strong winds continue to stoke wildfires raging across California, scorching more than 2.5 million acres statewide, according to CAL Fire.

It’s so hot that NASA is able to detect the surface temperatures around the fires from a space station, the agency said in a news release.

Some areas have reached a blistering 375 degrees Fahrenheit, NASA’s images show.

NASA’s ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) captured photos from five active wildfires burning in Southern California on Sunday, according to the release. There are 28 major wildfires burning across the state as of Wednesday, CAL Fire reports.

NASA posted images of the El Dorado Fire, which has burned 12,610 acres in San Bernardino County, and the Valley Fire, which has burned 17,665 acres in San Diego County, according to CAL Fire. NASA’s images showed surface areas around the El Dorado fire were greater than 375 degrees and surface temperatures around the Valley Fire were greater than 370 degrees.

“The surrounding areas show abnormally warm middle-of-the-night background surface temperatures (orange) due to the ongoing heat wave,” NASA said.

The El Dorado Fire is 23% contained and the Valley Fire is 32% contained, CAL Fire reported.

The state’s wildfires have caused the deaths of at least eight people and destroyed or damaged over 3,800 structures as of Thursday, CAL Fire said.

Red Flag Warnings are still in place for most of the state, with wind gusts up to 55 mph in the “mountain and foothill areas,” according to CAL Fire.

This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 11:09 AM with the headline "California’s wildfires are so hot that NASA can detect their temperatures from space."