Giant California wildfire can now be seen from outer space
California's Soberanes wildfire has been burning out of control since it first sparked in Garrapata State Park on July 22.
NASA has just released a particularly sobering image of the fire, which has burned more than 44,000 acres, destroyed 57 homes, and led to the death of at least one man, from a harrowing vantage point -- outer space.
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite collected the natural-color image "using the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument on July 24, 2016," according to an official statement from the agency.
That means that the immense cloud of smoke produced by the sand fire grew to a size where it could be seen from space just two days after it started burning.
NASA
Even with firefighters battling the blaze around the clock, it is still currently only 25 percent contained.
"Over 2,964 firefighters are engaged fighting this fire," said NASA. "The resources that are entrenched in battling this blaze include 356 engines, 43 hand crews, 16 water tenders, 26 helicopters and 14 dozers."
Clearly, the bleak situation has nothing to do with a lack of effort on emergency rescuers' part.
Authorities now believe the blaze started from a two-by-two foot campfire that got out of control.
They are still searching for the person or persons who started the campfire.
Photos of the blaze:
