Lightning, a cigarette butt, a spark, a poorly extinguished fire or, simply, human action are some of the possible causes that can cause a fire . If we add to that the scarcity of water and the high temperatures of summer , we already have the perfect combination for the risk of fire to multiply throughout the country.
If you live in a fire-prone area or are just curious, you may want to know which fires are active in real time from your mobile phone. To do this, you have the option of consulting it on Google Maps or using the tool that NASA makes available to any citizen. We tell you what it is and how you can access it.
Thermal anomalies seen from space
NASA’s Fire Information System for Resource Management (FIRMS) displays active fire data in near real-time thanks to satellite observation from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Infrared Imaging Radiometer Array Visible (VIIRS). MODIS works with a spatial resolution of one pixel per kilometer, while each VIIRS pixel represents 375 meters.
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The data collected by this system is made publicly available (in English) from the NASA website , where we can see a map with red squares that represent thermal anomalies or active fires detected by satellites.
Keep in mind, however, that these anomalies can also be due to hot smoke, agricultural activities, or other sources such as volcanoes or gas flares . In addition, NASA warns that clouds can hinder these fire detections and obscure certain areas.
That said, simply zoom in and pan around the map to see which Hot Spots are currently active ( current ). The website itself allows you to consult data on the outbreaks registered in the last 24 hours or even throughout the week.
It also offers a history to check its evolution , a measurement tool, a capture function, the option to share the map on social networks, etc.
Visualization of maps in GeaMap
This same active fire map is also available through Geamap , which has drawn up its own map on a global scale with the information collected by NASA satellites . Here we can also access different display modes (topographic, satellite, etc.) and a tool to measure distances.