Astronaut spots California wildfires from space, sends 'thoughts and prayers' to victims

California is on hearth, with additional than 360 person blazes scorching across the state.

Unsurprisingly, the results are noticeable from space, as NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy shared photographs nowadays (Aug. 21) of huge billows of smoke over California as observed from his perch on the Global Room Station.

“Many thanks to all of the fire fighters and crisis groups who are working around the clock trying to get these fires contained,” Cassidy reported in the tweet. “Feelings and prayers to all of the people in the impacted spots.”

Linked: Raging California wildfires spotted from area (photos, online video)

California’s tough hearth year is the consequence of abnormal lightning-prosperous storms taking place in the course of a record-topping heatwave, in accordance to The New York Occasions. In addition, the point out depends seriously of inmates to workers its firefighting crews, and prisons have been strike particularly badly by the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Sacramento Bee..

The point out realized even prior to the current heatwave that this would be a challenging fireplace time. A forecast from CALFIRE, the state’s firefighting agency, cited minimal precipitation prices primary to large chance in northern California, specially in August and September, and wind-induced fireplace hazard in the southern part of the condition later in the drop.

In an graphic NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy shared on Aug. 21, 2020, smoke billows earlier mentioned California, which is preventing additional than 360 fires. (Graphic credit score: NASA)

Many thanks to all of the hearth fighters and crisis groups who are working around the clock seeking to get these fires contained. Thoughts and prayers to all of the persons in the impacted parts. #CaliforniaFires pic.twitter.com/XKx6Yak5bPAugust 20, 2020

NASA astronauts are applied to checking disasters on Earth from their short-term household in area. Before this month, Cassidy shared an graphic of Beirut, Lebanon, which noticed devastating explosions.

Cassidy arrived at the room station in April with two Russian cosmonauts, and the trio will keep on being in orbit right until Oct.

E-mail Meghan Bartels at mbartels@place.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Abide by us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.