Are there wildfires in Bulgaria right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 80 active fire hotspots in Bulgaria over the last 3 days. The map on this page shows their exact locations, updated hourly.

How does NASA detect wildfires?

NASA's VIIRS and MODIS instruments aboard the Suomi NPP, NOAA-20 and Terra/Aqua satellites detect thermal anomalies (heat signatures) from orbit. Each detection is a "hotspot" — a pixel where the sensor measured fire-level heat. Data is published within about 3 hours of the satellite overpass through the FIRMS system.

What does fire intensity (FRP) mean?

FRP (Fire Radiative Power, in megawatts) measures how much energy a fire is releasing. Higher FRP means a more intense fire. On this map, brighter red dots are higher-intensity detections.

Wildfires in Bulgaria Today

Name: Active Wildfires in Bulgaria
Creator: NASA
Published: 2024-01-01
License: https://www.nasa.gov/open/
Keywords: wildfires, fires bulgaria, NASA FIRMS, active fire map, VIIRS

Live active-fire map for Bulgaria from NASA FIRMS satellite data. Where fires are burning right now — updated hourly. Typical fire season: July–August.

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at 54 km N of Sofia, Bulgaria

5 km/h from the SSW — carrying smoke towards the NNE.

18°C · 64% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 15.8 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 40 · US AQI 56

Air quality is acceptable for almost everyone.

Wind direction only — not a smoke dispersion forecast. Air quality is modelled, not a street-level measurement. Weather from MET Norway; air quality from Open-Meteo (Copernicus CAMS). Both CC BY 4.0.

12 active fires in Bulgaria

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
54 km N of Sofia, Bulgaria
7 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 01:20 UTC43.175, 23.216
54 MW
2
Remote area
10 detections~18.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 12:44 UTC44.079, 23.451
34 MW
3
Remote area
5 detections~15 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 10:45 UTC44.183, 22.947
29 MW
4
39 km W of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
5 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 11:21 UTC42.185, 24.277
21 MW
5
Remote area
4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 12:25 UTC43.496, 24.409
19 MW
6
25 km E of Haskovo, Bulgaria
1 detectionlast seen 2026-09-19 12:25 UTC42.015, 25.833
18 MW
7
Remote area
4 detections~15.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 01:00 UTC43.970, 23.260
13 MW
8
Remote area
5 detections~9.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 11:04 UTC43.829, 24.268
12 MW
9
88 km N of Sofia, Bulgaria
3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 11:21 UTC43.489, 23.338
11 MW
10
Remote area
5 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 01:20 UTC44.151, 23.255
8 MW

Plus 17 smaller heat detections — often agricultural burning rather than wildfire.

About this wildfire map

This map uses NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), which publishes active-fire detections from the VIIRS and MODIS instruments aboard NASA and NOAA satellites. Each dot is a thermal “hotspot” where the sensor measured fire-level heat, usually within 3 hours of the satellite passing overhead. It shows where fires are actively burning — not fire perimeters or evacuation zones. For safety and evacuation information, always follow your local emergency services.

Wildfires in other countries

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