File:Burn Scars in Portugal and Spain (MODIS 2022-07-25).jpg

English: Severe drought across much of the Iberian Peninsula combined with a pair of sweltering heat waves created tinder-dry conditions in Portugal and Spain by June 2022.

According to media reports, as of June 20, almost 58,000 hectares (224 square miles) of land in Portugal had been charred by wildfire. In mid-July, under a record-breaking heatwave that brought an all-time high of 47˚C (117˚F) to the town of Pinhao in northern Portugal, the situation had worsened, with even more land lost to wildfires roaring in the forests of northern Portugal and western Spain. On July 24, Global Firewatch reported that 304 hectares of land area was burned in the Guarda region of northern Portugal in just the previous 4 weeks. On July 18, more than 200 deaths in Portugal and more than 300 deaths in Spain had been attributed to excess heat in the prior week.

On July 21, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a false-color image extensive burn scars in northern Portugal and western Spain. Burn scars are the area left behind after a fire scorches the area. Along the edge of a few of these scars, red “hot spots”, which mark actively burning fire, and smoke can still be seen.

This image has been created by using visible and near-infrared light (bands 7,2,1 on the MODIS instrument) burn scars – which may appear black, brown, or brick red - stand out in stark contrast to vegetation, which appears bright green. Open land appears tan, deep water is colored deep blue and clouds, when present, may appear either white or tinted with electric blue. The color variation in burn scars depends on type of vegetation burned, the completeness of the burn, the amount of residue remaining after the burn, and the age of the burn.

One exceptionally large, fresh burn scar, which appears brick-red, can be seen in Spain near the border of Portugal. This scar covers more then 600 square km (200 square miles).