Wildfire in California captured by Sentinel-2C

Launched on 5 September 2024 on a Vega rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite has delivered its first images. These spectacular views of Earth offer a sneak peek at the data that this new satellite will provide for Copernicus – Europe’s world-leading Earth observation programme.

Here, Sentinel-2C observed an area of south of Los Angeles in California. This comparison, acquired on 12 September 2024, has been processed using the multispectral imager’s different bands to highlight one of the wildfires that the state is currently battling.

The natural colour image on the left captures smoke billowing from the Airport Fire, while the false colour image on the right has been processed using the instrument’s shortwave infrared and near-infrared channels to show the large area that has been burned and the active fires, which can be seen as bright orange spots.

Read full story: Sentinel-2C delivers stunning first images