A detail from the ATSR Global Fire Atlas from August 1996 shows myriad red points over Africa and South America, each marking a fire.

In August 1996, over 12939 hot spots, each marking a probable active fire (or gas flare, in the case of permanent hot spots) were recorded.

For more information on algorithms, samples, and how the atlas is produced, see Ionia Fire References

Keywords: ESA European Space Agency - Agence spatiale europeenne, observation de la terre, earth observation, satellite remote sensing, teledetection, geophysique, altimetrie, radar, chimique atmospherique, geophysics, altimetry, radar, atmospheric chemistry