image: The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite detected dozens of fires burning in India on Oct. 12, 2014. The fires are outlined in red which indicates actively burning areas. The fires could very well be agricultural fires set to to return nutrients to the soil and to clear the ground of unwanted plants. Punjab is the grain bowl of India growing wheat and rice and producing around two-third of India's food. While fire helps enhance crops and grasses for pasture, the fires also produce smoke that degrades air quality. The state government has banned these types of fires, but the practice still persists as evidenced by this satellite image. view more
Credit: Jeff Schmaltz LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC. Caption by Lynn Jenner.