This image of the Carr and Ferguson fires in California was taken by European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst from his vantage point aboard the International Space Station on 3 August 2018.
Gerst, a geophysicist and volcanologist, posted the picture to Twitter, writing: “California burning. These fires are frightening to watch, even from space. Here’s a shout-out from space to all firefighters on this planet, my former colleagues. Stay safe my friends!”
As well as the smoke, a towering cloud known as a pyrocumulus or flammagenitus can be seen rising from the fire.
Originally published by Cosmos as The California fires from above
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