Are there wildfires in Syria right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 253 active fire hotspots in Syria 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 Syria Today

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

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

253

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at 39 km NW of Al-Hasakah, Syria

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

29°C · 36% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 3.6 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 30 · US AQI 50

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.

25 active fires in Syria

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
39 km NW of Al-Hasakah, Syria
62 detections~44.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:22 UTC36.813, 40.555
493 MW
2
40 km E of Qamishli, Syria
30 detections~26 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:22 UTC37.023, 41.678
306 MW
3
41 km S of Ras al-Ayn, Syria
4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 09:20 UTC36.510, 40.241
134 MW
4
25 km SW of Qamishli, Syria
11 detections~17.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 11:02 UTC36.877, 41.051
110 MW
5
30 km S of Qamishli, Syria
8 detections~2 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 09:20 UTC36.785, 41.299
110 MW
6
28 km SW of Aleppo, Syria
5 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 11:19 UTC36.010, 36.940
91 MW
7
21 km W of Qamishli, Syria
18 detections~34.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:22 UTC37.008, 40.997
75 MW
8
15 km E of Ras al-Ayn, Syria
10 detections~16.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:22 UTC36.885, 40.236
65 MW
9
16 km SE of Ras al-Ayn, Syria
9 detections~16.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 11:02 UTC36.724, 40.151
49 MW
10
26 km SE of Qamishli, Syria
4 detections~2.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 11:02 UTC36.924, 41.472
38 MW

Plus 33 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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