4 ms·

According to this NASA report, this is a natural occurrence on this time of the year: > As of August 16, 2019, an analysis of NASA satellite data indicated tha

According to this NASA report, this is a natural occurrence on this time of the year: > As of August 16, 2019, an analysis of NASA satellite data indicated that total fire activity across the Amazon basin this year has been close to the average in comparison to the past 15 years. Source: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145464/fires-in-brazil https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145464/fires-in-bra...

neuronexmachina 7y ago
Interestingly, the URL used to have a different caption: https://web.archive.org/web/20190822024248/http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2019/wildfires-in-the-brazilian-rainforest-creating-cross-country-smoke https://web.archive.org/web/20190822024248/http://www.nasa.g... > Although it is not unusual to see fires in Brazil at this time of year due to high temperatures and low humidity it seems this year the number of fires may be record setting. According to Brazil’s space research center INPE almost 73,000 fires have been recorded so far this year. INPE is seeing an 83% increase over the same period in 2018.
- malandrew 7y ago
  > 73,000 fires have been recorded so far this year. INPE is seeing an 83% increase over the same period in 2018. Number of fires doesn't seem like a good measure. A simple change in how you distinguish between two fires in close proximity can dramatically change the numbers. Higher resolution measurements can allow you to distinguish between two fires that might have looked like one in years prior. A much better measure would be to look at the quantity of surface area on fire.
- emersonrsantos 7y ago
  Exactly, INPE institute’s direction is having a political fight with the Brazilian government, which accuses INPE of manipulating the numbers. I think that’s why NASA removed that data.

4 ms·

According to this NASA report, this is a natural occurrence on this time of the year: > As of August 16, 2019, an analysis of NASA satellite data indicated tha

by emersonrsantos 7y ago

neuronexmachina 7y ago
Interestingly, the URL used to have a different caption: https://web.archive.org/web/20190822024248/http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2019/wildfires-in-the-brazilian-rainforest-creating-cross-country-smoke https://web.archive.org/web/20190822024248/http://www.nasa.g... > Although it is not unusual to see fires in Brazil at this time of year due to high temperatures and low humidity it seems this year the number of fires may be record setting. According to Brazil’s space research center INPE almost 73,000 fires have been recorded so far this year. INPE is seeing an 83% increase over the same period in 2018.
- malandrew 7y ago
  > 73,000 fires have been recorded so far this year. INPE is seeing an 83% increase over the same period in 2018. Number of fires doesn't seem like a good measure. A simple change in how you distinguish between two fires in close proximity can dramatically change the numbers. Higher resolution measurements can allow you to distinguish between two fires that might have looked like one in years prior. A much better measure would be to look at the quantity of surface area on fire.
- emersonrsantos 7y ago
  Exactly, INPE institute’s direction is having a political fight with the Brazilian government, which accuses INPE of manipulating the numbers. I think that’s why NASA removed that data.