2006 Californian forest fire, infrared image. The Esperanza fire started in dry brush near Palm Springs in California on 26th October 2006. It took six days for it to be contained, by which time it had consumed 66 square kilometres (40,200 acres) and forced hundreds to evacuate their homes. Areas that were burnt by this fire are seen on the map as various shades of red. Image taken on 3rd November 2006 by ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) on NASA's Terra satellite.