Are there wildfires in Queensland right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 3189 active fire hotspots in Queensland over the last 3 days, including 6 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 Queensland Today

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

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

3189

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

12 km/h from the E — carrying smoke towards the W.

16°C · 91% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 12.9 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 36 · US AQI 54

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.

105 active fires in Queensland

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
300 detections~27.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 03:42 UTC-16.012, 144.195
4170 MW
2
Remote area
372 detections~30 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 16:30 UTC-13.512, 143.030
3302 MW
3
Remote area
236 detections~40.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 16:30 UTC-13.079, 141.837
1825 MW
4
Remote area
152 detections~6.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 14:54 UTC-28.925, 151.812
964 MW
5
Remote area
117 detections~9.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 03:42 UTC-17.274, 144.548
835 MW
6
Remote area
72 detections~18.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 16:33 UTC-18.481, 145.575
736 MW
7
Remote area
91 detections~25.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 16:33 UTC-18.660, 145.731
720 MW
8
Remote area
54 detections~12.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 16:50 UTC-12.959, 143.476
713 MW
9
Remote area
147 detections~24.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 14:52 UTC-25.458, 149.131
596 MW
10
Remote area
32 detections~8.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 03:42 UTC-12.663, 141.909
460 MW

Plus 71 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.

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