Smoke from Sonoma, Napa county fires extends to San Diego in satellite photo

A NASA satellite passing over California captured an arresting image: Smoke trailing from the fires in Santa Rosa and Napa more than 550 miles south into the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.|
DON SWEENEY | THE SACRAMENTO BEE

A NASA satellite passing over California on Friday captured an arresting image: Smoke trailing from the Wine Country fire in Santa Rosa and Napa more than 550 miles south into the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.

The photograph was taken by the Terra satellite using a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS instrument. It shows a stream of smoke originating from Santa Rosa extending into the eastern Pacific Ocean at least as far south as San Diego, a distance of 550 miles, NASA said.

More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from the fire zones since Oct. 8. Statewide, more than 5,700 structures have burned, including nearly 3,000 homes in Santa Rosa.

Smoke from the fires has blanketed much of Northern California at various times over the past six days, sparking air quality warnings and curtailing outdoor activities in many communities.

NASA Image of Tubbs Fire smoke

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