First published Oct 18, 2026, 7:17:16 PM UTC · Last updated Oct 18, 2026, 7:17:16 PM UTC

Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 38.822°N, 123.190°W — Near Hopland, CA, United States

NOAA HMS classified the satellite-observed smoke as heavy density, with GOES-EAST observations spanning 15:00–17:00 UTC on 2026-10-18. The source says this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.

Why it matters

The observation describes smoke extent from satellite data, not conditions at ground level or a health warning.

Location

Categories: environment-and-climate

Generated scores

Scores are based on the cited reporting and use a 1–10 scale. Read the methodology.

Confidence: 7/10How certain the assessment is based on the clarity and evidence in the cited reporting.
Geographic reach: 1/10How widely the event reaches, from a local area (1) to worldwide impact (10).
Global importance: 3/10The event's broader significance, from limited importance (1) to major global importance (10).
Impact magnitude: 2/10The scale or severity of the real-world impact, from minor (1) to extreme (10).
Positivity: 2/10How harmful or beneficial the event is, from strongly harmful (1) to strongly positive (10).
Urgency: 2/10How time-sensitive the event is, from low urgency (1) to immediate attention needed (10).

Primary official sources

NOAA HMS Smoke Detection Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 38.822°N, 123.190°W — Near Hopland, CA, United StatesNOAA/NESDIS Hazard Mapping System (HMS) Usage terms

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