VIDEO: Satellites have captured stunning new views of the early season wildfires raging across northern New Mexico since mid-April.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite snapped an aerial view of the wildfires on Tuesday (May 3). The natural-color image captures large plumes of smoke billowing over Los Alamos and the neighboring city of Las Vegas, New Mexico.
"The blazes have been driven by high winds, low humidity and exceptionally dry tinder — grass, brush and timber — that are providing ample fuel for burning," according to a statement from NASA Earth Observatory. "The fires have destroyed hundreds of structures and prompted the evacuation of thousands of homes."