Dry Midsouth conditions raise fire concerns as satellite tracks heat signatures

Another dry day across the Midsouth brought relative humidity values of 20 to 25 percent, while drought and drying fuels increased the potential for fires to start, according to the US National Weather Service Memphis Tennessee.

The weather service said some fires are planned and others are not. It also highlighted the GOES satellite’s ability to detect heat signatures from fires from 22,000 miles away in space.

An example shown by the weather service included a picture courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The image was taken from I-55 looking north toward Keiser, Arkansas.

Source: US National Weather Service Memphis Tennessee.