DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z May 20, 2026
SMOKE: California… The fire on Santa Rosa Island continued to burn and produce heavy-to-moderate density smoke. Across southeastern mainland California, multiple fires were observed producing moderate to borderline thick smoke, especially from the Bain Fire east of Los Angeles and the Sandy Fire west of Los Angeles. The smoke from these fires was mainly moving southwestward, with some eastward movement observed through the Santa Barbara Channel and the San Fernando Valley. Further north, the Irish RX prescribed burn was observed emitting moderate density smoke that was reaching the San Francisco Bay area while also moving eastward into the Sierras. New Mexico/Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas… The Seven Cabins Fire in Lincoln County, New Mexico re-invigorated early this afternoon after a short pause in smoke production late this morning. The fire was observed producing thick smoke that was moving east-northeastward with some very light remnant smoke seen as far out as far southwestern Kansas. Southeastern U.S… Scattered fire activity from Louisiana into the Carolinas was producing generally light smoke throughout the afternoon. Smoke was generally moving northward to north-northwestward across South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama while smoke across North Carolina was observed moving north-northeastward.\ Mid-Atlantic/Northwestern Atlantic… Remnant smoke from previous days’ fire activity was seen extending from the Mid-Atlantic to over southern New England and out over the open North Atlantic. The smoke was then being drawn southeastward, eastward and northeastward into a cyclone over the North Atlantic centered a 500-600 miles north of the Azores. SMOKE/AEROSOL: Mexico/Pacific Ocean/Gulf of America/Central America... Fire activity, aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities, as well as remnant smoke from previous days, contributed to a widespread mixed layer of light-to-moderate density smoke and aerosols across the south-central CONUS, the Gulf of America, Mexico, Central America, and the tropical Eastern Pacific. Moderate density smoke was observed from the Texas Gulf Coast southward along the Mexican coast and western Gulf/Bay of Campeche across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and over the Gulf of Tehuantepec and surrounding coasts. BLOWING DUST: Interior Alaska… An area of blowing dust was seen emanating from the Delta River around Delta Junction about 80 miles southeast of Fairbanks. The dust was seen being lofted late morning local time and transported north-northwestward and continued for a couple hours. Hosley THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE FIRE IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE: JPEG:http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg Smoke data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Smoke_Polygons Fire data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Fire_Points ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO: SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov