Occurred Oct 18, 2026, 5:00:00 PM UTC

First published Oct 19, 2026, 2:59:15 AM UTC · Last updated Oct 19, 2026, 2:59:15 AM UTC

Medium satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.396°N, 121.949°W — Near Butte City, CA, United States

NOAA HMS classified a satellite-observed smoke area near Butte City, California, as medium density, based on GOES-EAST observations from October 18, 2026, 17:00–20:00 UTC. The source states that this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.

At a glance

Affected location: Butte City, California, United States

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Why it matters

The observation identifies a smoke extent but does not establish ground-level air quality or a health alert.

Location

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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: 2/10The 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).
Urgency: 1/10How time-sensitive the event is, from low urgency (1) to immediate attention needed (10).

Primary official sources

NOAA HMS Smoke Detection Medium satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.396°N, 121.949°W — Near Butte City, CA, United StatesNOAA/NESDIS Hazard Mapping System (HMS) Usage terms

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Related developments reported in the last 30 days. These are not necessarily ongoing incidents.

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Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.530°N, 121.858°W — Near Oroville, CA, United StatesOct 18, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
NOAA HMS classified the satellite-observed smoke as heavy density during the stated observation window, with a representative centroid near Oroville. The source describes smoke extent, not ground-level air quality or a health alert.
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NOAA HMS classified a satellite-observed smoke extent near Oroville as heavy density during observations on October 18, 2026. The source states this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.
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Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.549°N, 122.174°W — Near Willows, CA, United StatesOct 18, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
NOAA HMS classified the satellite-observed smoke area as heavy density during the stated GOES-EAST observation window. The source notes this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.
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Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.489°N, 121.698°W — Near Oroville, CA, United StatesOct 18, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
NOAA HMS classified the satellite-observed smoke area near Oroville as heavy density, based on GOES-EAST observations from 2026-10-18 20:00 to 23:30 UTC. The source states this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.
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Heavy satellite-observed smoke area centered at 38.942°N, 123.152°W — Near Hopland, CA, United StatesOct 18, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
NOAA HMS classified a satellite-observed smoke area near Hopland, California, as heavy density during the reported observation window. The source states this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.
Nearby · within 200 km
Medium satellite-observed smoke area centered at 39.528°N, 122.004°W — Near Glenn, CA, United StatesOct 18, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
NOAA HMS classified the satellite-observed smoke as medium density during a GOES-East observation window on October 18, 2026. The source states that this is not a ground-level air-quality measurement or health alert.

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