Carbon monoxide from fires in North America

This Copernicus Sentinel-5P image shows the three-day average distribution of atmospheric carbon monoxide from fires across North America between 9 and 11 August 2026, highlighting the extensive impact of recent wildfires in Canada and Siberia.

The graphic consists of two hemispheric views of Earth. The left globe is cantered on the northern hemisphere, with Canada and Russia clearly labelled, while the right globe is cantered on Antarctica and the southern hemisphere. The underlying surface is rendered primarily in shades of grey, allowing the atmospheric carbon monoxide signal to stand out in shades of orange.

The most prominent feature is the broad region of elevated carbon monoxide over Canada and the high northern latitudes. A particularly strong orange–red enhancement is visible across parts of Canada, with additional elongated plumes extending westward and southward. These elevated carbon monoxide concentrations are consistent with the atmospheric signature of emissions from wildfires.

A white square labelled ‘detail’ references an optical image of the fires near Vancouver in Canada from Copernicus Sentinel-2.

In contrast, the southern hemisphere view is dominated by relatively low values of carbon monoxide, shown primarily in grey, with only limited orange enhancements along parts of the outer Antarctic and southern high-latitude regions.

See more Earth observation images showing the effects of extreme heat in 2026: Wildfires, drought and extreme heat, 2026