Wildfires Near Me is a free, live map of active fire activity anywhere in the world. It plots satellite-detected thermal hotspots from NASA’s FIRMS system — the same near-real-time data feed used by emergency managers and researchers — so you can see where fires are burning right now, how intense they are, and how close they are to your location. The map refreshes automatically every few minutes, so what you see is current rather than a static snapshot from days ago.
It’s built for anyone who needs a fast, no-signup answer to a simple question: is there fire activity near me? That includes residents in fire-prone regions checking conditions during a red-flag warning, travelers and hikers planning around smoke and closures, property owners monitoring land from a distance, and journalists or analysts who want a quick visual of where hotspots are clustering. There’s nothing to install and no account to create — open it, allow location if you want distance-sorted results, and start exploring.
Each detection is a satellite-observed thermal signature, color-coded by detection confidence and sized by Fire Radiative Power (FRP) — a measure of how much heat the fire is emitting. A larger, redder dot means a hotter, higher-confidence detection. Click any hotspot for its coordinates, detection time, confidence level, and FRP, plus one-tap links to open the location in Google Maps or Google Earth. You can also switch between a live NASA satellite layer showing today’s true-color imagery and a high-resolution detailed view to see the landscape beneath the detections.
How to use it
- Allow location access when prompted, or tap “Find Near Me,” to center the map on you and sort nearby hotspots by distance.
- Or search a place name, city, or address to fly the map to any region in the world. The map opens on the United States by default.
- Fires load for the area you’re viewing, so zoom to at least continent level to see active hotspots — a prompt appears if you’re zoomed too far out.
- Click or tap any colored dot to open its details: nearest place, confidence, Fire Radiative Power, detection time (UTC), coordinates, and links to Google Maps or Google Earth.
- Use the intensity filter in the sidebar to hide low-power detections and focus on the most significant fire activity.
- Switch between Map, Live, and Detailed views for a street map, today’s NASA satellite imagery, or high-resolution terrain.
- Leave the map open — it auto-refreshes every five minutes, so detections update without a reload.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the wildfire data come from?
Hotspots come from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), using VIIRS thermal detections from multiple satellites in near real time. Satellites pass overhead several times a day and report locations where they detect heat consistent with active fire.
How current is the map?
It shows detections from roughly the last 24 hours and refreshes every five minutes. Because the data depends on satellite overpasses, there can be a few hours between when a fire starts and when it’s first detected.
What do the colors and dot sizes mean?
Color reflects detection confidence — yellow is low, orange is nominal, and red is high. Dot size scales with Fire Radiative Power (FRP), so bigger dots indicate hotter, more intense detections.
Does a hotspot always mean a wildfire?
Not necessarily. The satellite detects heat, which can also come from agricultural burns, industrial flares, or other thermal sources. Use the map as an early indicator and confirm with local authorities before making any decisions.
Why don’t I see a fire I know is burning?
Detection depends on cloud cover, smoke, fire size, and satellite timing. Small or newly started fires may not register until the next overpass, and heavy cloud or smoke can block the thermal signal entirely. Also make sure you’re zoomed in enough for that area’s fires to load.
Do I have to share my location?
No. Location is optional and only used to center the map and sort hotspots by distance from you. You can search by place name instead, and your location is never stored or sent anywhere.
Is it free and worldwide?
Yes. The tool is completely free and requires no account. It opens on the United States, and you can search or pan to any region on Earth — zoom in to at least continent level and it loads the active hotspots for that area.
Can I rely on this in an emergency?
Treat it as situational awareness, not an official warning system. For evacuation orders and emergency guidance, always follow your local fire service and government alerts.