Fire
Wildfires and satellite hotspots
Earth, live. Where's it burning?
See where it's burning. Fire maps active wildfires and the heat that satellites pick up from orbit, tells you how far the nearest fire is, and shows which way the wind is taking the smoke.
- 375 m
- squares the VIIRS satellites map heat in
- ~3 h
- from satellite pass to the map, for most hotspots
- 2000
- the year the MODIS fire record begins
- 1 km
- rounding of your location before any request
- HotspotsHeat detected by NASA's satellites, mapped within hours of each pass.
- Big firesNamed wildfires and their status, from NASA and GDACS.
- Near youThe nearest fire, how far it is and in which direction.
- Wind and smokeWhich way the wind is blowing at your place and the air-quality forecast.
- Source and ageEach hotspot says which satellite saw it and how long ago.
- AlertsA notification when a fire is detected inside your own radius.
Data: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS & MODIS), NASA EONET, GDACS, Open-Meteo
Tap around. It's the real app · sample data
About the app
What Fire does
Fire is a wildfire map. It shows the active fires that NASA's satellites detect from orbit, the larger named wildfires tracked by NASA's Earth Observatory and the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, and how close they are to you.
A hotspot is a spot where a satellite measured unusual heat. Most are wildfires, but some are farm burning, gas flares or industrial heat, so Fire shows how confident the detection is and which satellite made it.
How the satellites see fire
The VIIRS instruments map heat in squares about 375 metres across, small enough to pick up modest fires. MODIS, flying since 2000, sees in 1 km squares. Each satellite passes over most places a couple of times a day, so a hotspot is a snapshot from the last pass, not a live outline of the fire.
Wind and smoke
Smoke travels much further than flames. Fire shows the wind at your place and the air-quality forecast, so you can see whether smoke from a distant fire is heading your way.
Not a warning service
Fire shows satellite detections and public reports. It does not show evacuation orders and does not replace official warnings. If a fire is near you, follow your local fire service and authorities.
Where the data comes from
- NASA FIRMS: Active fire hotspots from the VIIRS and MODIS satellite instruments
- NASA EONET: Open wildfire events worldwide
- GDACS: Alert levels for major wildfires
- Open-Meteo: Wind and air-quality forecasts, place search
Every event shows its source and how old it is. If a feed can't be reached, the app keeps showing the last good copy, marked as out of date. There is no account or tracking. Privacy policy.
Good to know
Fire questions
How up to date are the hotspots?
Most hotspots reach the map within about three hours of the satellite passing over. Each one shows when it was seen.
Is every hotspot a wildfire?
No. A hotspot is unusual heat seen from orbit. Most are fires, but some are planned burns, gas flares or industrial sites. Fire shows how confident each detection is.
Does Fire show evacuation orders?
No. For evacuation orders and official warnings, follow your local fire service and authorities.
Where does the data come from?
From NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), NASA's EONET natural-event feed, GDACS, and Open-Meteo for wind and air quality.
From the same maker
More apps for a restless planet
News & updates
Earth, live. We'll tell you when.
An email when the apps arrive on Google Play, and the occasional update on what's new. No more than once a month.
Questions or ideas?
Found a bug, want a feature, or spotted something odd in the data? Send a message here, or email us.
hello@powerfulnature.app