Are there wildfires in Nigeria right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 932 active fire hotspots in Nigeria over the last 3 days, including 2 high-intensity fires. 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 Nigeria Today

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

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

932

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

12 km/h from the ENE — carrying smoke towards the WSW.

23°C · 25% humidity

Air quality Poor

PM2.5 33.4 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 67 · US AQI 104

Sensitive groups should reduce outdoor exertion. Others may notice irritation.

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.

100 active fires in Nigeria

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
43 detections~14.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 13:33 UTC13.300, 5.935
413 MW
2
Remote area
20 detections~24.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.471, 13.567
384 MW
3
Remote area
34 detections~10.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 13:31 UTC11.893, 5.429
376 MW
4
Remote area
37 detections~23.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.329, 14.273
322 MW
5
Remote area
14 detections~6 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.615, 14.013
281 MW
6
Remote area
24 detections~25.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 13:31 UTC11.625, 5.788
257 MW
7
Remote area
9 detections~14.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.541, 14.224
244 MW
8
Remote area
31 detections~25.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.987, 14.358
165 MW
9
Remote area
15 detections~8.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 11:53 UTC11.691, 13.692
163 MW
10
Remote area
28 detections~16.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-11-02 13:31 UTC11.887, 5.641
142 MW

Plus 107 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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