NASA posts satellite image of ‘world on fire’ showing every fire burning on the planet right now

But what is causing them?

NASA Worldview - world fires - satellite image

According to a recent satellite image captured by NASA, "the world is on fire" as many parts of the globe are shown to be actively burning.

The incredible aerial picture of the world shows an abundance of red dots which each represent a burning fire. The image was taken using thermal bands as part of the US space agency’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application.

NASA suggests most of the fires are down to agriculture or wildfires, caused by the recent hot temperatures the planet has experienced.

Most of the red dots are in Africa. NASA revealed the cause on their website: “This could be due to the fact that these are most likely agricultural fires. The location, widespread nature, and number of fires suggest that these fires were deliberately set to manage land.


Getty ImagesPatrick Orton


Elsewhere in North and South America, wildfires are most likely the reason for the red dots, which are a result of high winds, low humidity and extreme temperatures. Specifically in Brazil, man-made fires are often used to deforest land and for other agricultural purposes. However, these ‘controlled’ fires can sometimes grow far greater than desired due to dry climate conditions.

You can view an interactive map of the world's fires on NASA's EOSDIS Worldview application, which offers over 700 full-resolution satellite imagery layers of the planet. The map is updated every three hours so viewers can observe what the world looks like right now.

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