Smoke from forest fires cover Lake Baikal. Image: NASA
The forests of western Canada and the U.S. aren’t the only ones burning during a drought this year. This image from NASA’s Earth Observatory shows that similar fires in Siberia have produced a smoky trail obscuring parts of Lake Baikal. Burning areas are in red.
Lake Baikal is one of the world’s largest lakes. While smaller in area than North America’s Lake Superior, it is far deeper and contains much more water – the most of any lake in the world.
This image was taken Aug. 8, 2015 by NASA’s Aqua satellite. The agency said that regional news organizations reported ash on the lake and campsites and declining water levels could lead to more wildfires.
Reuters reports that some climate experts say the lake faces a future of extreme drought and flooding cycles.