Are there wildfires in Kenya right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 511 active fire hotspots in Kenya over the last 3 days, including 1 high-intensity fire. 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 Kenya Today

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

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

511

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

16 km/h from the SSE — carrying smoke towards the NNW.

31°C · 32% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 25 · US AQI 35

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.

57 active fires in Kenya

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
91 detections~73.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 11:10 UTC-1.414, 38.165
901 MW
2
Remote area
25 detections~13.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 10:49 UTC-3.021, 35.657
551 MW
3
Remote area
23 detections~23.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 10:51 UTC1.841, 34.232
293 MW
4
Remote area
21 detections~38.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 11:10 UTC-1.268, 38.391
159 MW
5
Remote area
17 detections~43.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 10:49 UTC-3.029, 35.813
154 MW
6
Remote area
16 detections~14.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:31 UTC-2.775, 34.751
131 MW
7
Remote area
11 detections~40.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 11:10 UTC-0.035, 38.130
109 MW
8
Remote area
5 detections~3.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 11:08 UTC-4.685, 37.076
107 MW
9
Remote area
13 detections~20.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 10:51 UTC1.583, 34.374
87 MW
10
Remote area
9 detections~13.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 11:10 UTC-1.108, 38.284
76 MW

Plus 94 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

Greece Spain Portugal Italy France Turkey Croatia Cyprus Albania North Macedonia Bulgaria Montenegro Germany United Kingdom United States Canada Mexico Brazil Argentina Chile