Are there wildfires in Ecuador right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 250 active fire hotspots in Ecuador 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 Ecuador Today

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

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

250

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

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

17°C · 73% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 8.2 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 29 · US AQI 37

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.

32 active fires in Ecuador

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
28 detections~5.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 06:18 UTC-0.062, -78.486
789 MW
2
Remote area
20 detections~15.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 19:17 UTC0.207, -78.447
148 MW
3
Remote area
7 detections~6.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 19:17 UTC0.722, -78.138
77 MW
4
Remote area
10 detections~2.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 18:58 UTC-3.485, -79.530
66 MW
5
Remote area
8 detections~2.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 06:18 UTC0.238, -78.201
59 MW
6
Remote area
4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 19:36 UTC-0.107, -78.293
49 MW
7
Remote area
2 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 18:58 UTC-3.857, -79.653
46 MW
8
Remote area
3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 18:58 UTC-0.918, -80.359
40 MW
9
Remote area
1 detectionlast seen 2026-09-18 19:17 UTC0.449, -78.521
30 MW
10
Remote area
3 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 17:56 UTC1.259, -77.617
29 MW

Plus 69 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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