Wildfire — from the danger to the fire to the smoke
Most wildfires are started by people — whether through negligence or on purpose. How quickly a spark turns into a major fire is then decided by the weather. On meteo365.es we show all four perspectives on one map: the fire danger for the coming days, active fires in near real time, the smoke in the air and the areas already burnt.
The forecastFire danger: the Fire Weather Index
Whether a spark becomes a major fire depends largely on the weather: heat, drought, wind and how long it has been since it last rained. The internationally used Fire Weather Index (FWI) captures exactly that in a single number — the higher it is, the more easily vegetation fires ignite and spread.
We compute the FWI ourselves from our weather models and show it as a daily forecast for the coming days — across the whole map and as a value for any location. The scale runs in six levels from Very low (green) to Extreme (dark red). So you see the danger before the first fire starts.
The 30-30-30 rule: a well-known rule of thumb warns of especially high wildfire danger when three values coincide — temperature above 30 °C, humidity below 30 % and wind above 30 km/h. Under those conditions fires can spread extremely fast.
Near real timeActive fires — what satellites see
Several NASA satellites scan the Earth every day with thermal sensors. When vegetation burns, intense heat is generated. The sensors pick up these characteristic heat signatures and mark them as hotspots on the map — often just minutes after the overpass.
Each point carries the radiative power (FRP) — a measure of how strongly the fire is burning right now. Note: a point is a heat detection, not a confirmed wildfire — industry, gas flares or controlled burns can appear too.
In the airSmoke — where the plume drifts
Large fires often send smoke hundreds of kilometres. Via the European atmosphere service Copernicus (CAMS) we show the smoke and aerosol load in the air — so you can tell whether the haze of a distant fire is reaching you, even when the fire itself is far away.
The smoke layer is especially useful for judging the air during distant major fires — it complements the active fires with what you actually see and smell in the sky.
The tallyBurnt areas — what is left behind
After a fire, the European forest-fire service EFFIS maps the area actually affected. We show these burn scars as outlines on the map — with the size in hectares and the time span. That makes visible how much a season really cost.
Together the four layers give a complete picture: from the danger through the active fire and the smoke to the burnt tally.
What these maps mean — and what they don't
Honest is honestOur wildfire maps are orientation, not a substitute for official warning services. If you are in an affected region, always follow the instructions of the fire brigade and civil protection.
- Danger is not fire: a high FWI means “easily ignitable”, not “it is burning”.
- Points are detections: satellites see heat — clouds can hide fires, and not every heat source is a wildfire.
- Areas arrive with a delay: burnt areas are mapped after the fire, not in real time.
And one more thing: the vast majority of wildfires are not caused by lightning but by people — around 96 % in the Mediterranean, through negligence or intent, with only about 4 % having a natural cause. In the USA it is around 85 %. Sources: WWF, NASA.
Straight to the wildfire map
Fire danger, active fires, smoke and burnt areas — all on one map.