In May 2016, wildfires swept through the area around Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, prompting massive evacuations and causing extensive damage to property and the environment. Satellite imagery captured before and during the fires reveals the extent of the destruction. The first image, acquired on April 17, 2016, and the second on May 3, 2016, display the area in natural colours. The third and fourth images, taken during the same period, use false colour bands to enhance visibility of the burnt areas, which appear red along the banks of the Athabasca River. Subsequent images document the evolving situation; the fifth image, from September 20, 2011, shows the area before the fires, while the sixth, from May 12, 2016, captures the fires in progress, both in natural colour. The final two images, also in false colour, provide a stark contrast, highlighting the extent of the burn areas around the city and along the river.

• Image 1: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 17 April 2016, Band Combination: 4, 3, 2 (RGB) natural colour
• Image 2: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 03 May 2016, Band Combination: 4, 3, 2 (RGB) natural colour
• Image 3: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 17 April 2016, Band Combination: 7, 5, 2 (RGB) false colour
• Image 4: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 03 May 2016, Band Combination: 7, 5, 2 (RGB) false colour
• Image 5: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 5 TM, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 20 Sep 2011, Band Combination: 3, 2, 1 (RGB) natural colour
• Image 6: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI Merge images, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 12 May 2016, Band Combination: 4, 3, 2 (RGB) natural
• Image 7: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 5 TM, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 20 Sep 2011, Band Combination: 7, 5, 2 (RGB) false colour
• Image 8: Product: Geo Tiff format, Satellite/Sensor: Landsat 8 OLI Merge images, Resolution: 30 metres, Coverage: 180 x 180 km, Acquisition Date: 12 May 2016, Band Combination: 7, 5, 2 (RGB) false colour