Fire in Gila National Forest, New Mexico

Image: NASA Earth Observatory

The image above shows the Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex, a large blaze burning in a mountainous part of Gila National Forest in western New Mexico. The rapidly expanding fire, which started with a lightning strike, had burned more than 10,000 acres (16 square miles) by May 24, 2012. 

NASA Earth Observatory

Picking up one of our children from a birthday party across town yesterday afternoon, we noted a thin smoky haze blowing through the Denver sky. Now I see why.