Wildfires in California Today
Live active-fire map for California from NASA FIRMS satellite data. Where fires are burning right now — updated hourly. Typical fire season: June–November.
9 km/h from the E — carrying smoke towards the W.
5°C · 48% humidity
Air quality Extremely poor
PM2.5 338.1 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 179 · US AQI 383
Avoid outdoor exertion. Stay indoors with windows closed where possible.
The band above follows the European index, which averages particulates over 24 hours — so a sharp rise in this hour's PM2.5, as smoke passing overhead causes, shows up in the reading before it moves the band.
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.
10 active fires in California
Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.
- 13987 MW16 km S of Yosemite Village, California320 detections~7.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 11:10 UTC37.602, -119.607
- 256 MW38 km S of Chico, California5 detections~12.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 21:10 UTC39.411, -121.673
- 340 MW59 km N of Sacramento, California10 detections~12 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 09:49 UTC39.101, -121.643
- 410 MW60 km S of Chico, California3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 09:49 UTC39.206, -121.671
- 56 MW56 km N of San Bernardino, California5 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC34.608, -117.337
- 66 MW60 km N of San Bernardino, California4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC34.621, -117.101
- 75 MW40 km NW of Los Angeles, California4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC34.336, -118.520
- 84 MW46 km NW of Fresno, California4 detections~8.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 09:49 UTC37.033, -120.152
- 93 MW56 km NW of Los Angeles, California3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC34.431, -118.646
- 102 MW39 km SW of Riverside, California3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC33.716, -117.709
Plus 36 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.