Source: NASA
The Monroe Canyon fire in central Utah grew quickly in late July 2025 amid a stretch of hot, dry, and windy weather. The blaze, burning near the communities of Richfield, Monroe, and Koosharem, began its rapid expansion the afternoon of July 25, when firefighters reported wind gusts exceeding 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour. Its extent would more than double to 23,265 acres (9,415 hectares) by the morning of July 28.
The fire continued to rage that day, when the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image. A smoke plume from the blaze drifted hundreds of miles to the northeast, creating hazy skies and degrading air quality in areas downwind.
Fire activity prompted officials to close a portion of Fishlake National Forest and issue evacuation notices for residences within that area. Several buildings have been destroyed, according to news reports, and firefighters were working to prevent additional structures from being lost. About 1,000 personnel were involved in the firefighting response.
The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured the false-color image above, showing the Monroe Canyon fire on July 28. This combination of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (bands 7-5-4) makes it easier to identify unburned, vegetated areas (green) and the recently burned landscape (brown). Bright orange indicates the infrared signature of active burning.
By the morning of July 30, the fire had grown to 36,637 acres (14,830 hectares) with 11 percent containment. In addition to the fire-conducive weather, officials stated that “record-breaking low fuel moistures” contributed to the intense fire activity. A red flag warning was in effect for central and southern Utah, with low relative humidity and breezy conditions expected to continue.
NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey and MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Lindsey Doermann.