Fires in Zambia

Fires in Zambia. This series of true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images was captured by the Aqua satellite. The images are generally centered on the African country of Mozambique, and highlight the widespread extent of the burning season in the region. (Fires are marked with red dots). The series begins in early September and runs through late October 2002.

In some of the images, surrounding countries can be seen. For example, Malawi (in which resides Lake Malawi) often dips into Mozambique from the top of the image. Fires in Zambia are largely agricultural in nature, although in some cases. Therefore planned agricultural burns get out of control and destroy surrounding natural vegetation. Zambia is officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in south-central Africa although some sources consider it part of East Africa.

It neighbours the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north. Also Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west. The capital city is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia. The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka. Which is in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest, the core economic hubs of the country.

Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC