English: Spurred by a combination of high temperatures, low humidity, and dry vegetation, a severe wildfire outbreak struck Portugal in mid-September 2024. As of September 18, more than 100 wildfires were reported, primarily in the north and west of the country. At least five people died in the fires, including four firefighters, and officials were quoted as saying that another 59 people had been injured by the fires.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of smoke pouring from the massive outbreak of fires in Portugal on September 17.

Each red hot spot marks an area of actively burning fire. Smoke poured from the fires and was being driven over the Atlantic Ocean by strong winds, forming a large, dense cloud that obscured the water from view.