Satellite imagery captures fast-moving California fire.
On October 23, 2019, a blaze erupted in Sonoma County, California, near the small town of Geyserville. In six days, flames from the Kincade fire spread across more than 75,000 acres (303 square kilometers), becoming the largest wildfire by acreage in California in 2019. As of October 29, the fire had destroyed more than 120 structures and caused at least 2,000 people to evacuate.
Fierce winds in northern California—known colloquially as Diablo winds—played a large role in quickly spreading the fire. On October 27, wind gusts reached 96 miles (150 kilometers) per hour, which made the fire very difficult to stop. From October 26 to October 28, the fire grew by nearly 48,000 acres.
Forecasters expect another strong wind event on the night of October 29, which may again fan the flames. Firefighters are working on the ground and from the air to build containment lines around the wildfire. As of October 29, the fire was 15 percent contained.
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Image via NASA Earth Observatory
