Are there wildfires in Texas right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 240 active fire hotspots in Texas 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 Texas Today

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

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

240

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at 85 km N of Wichita Falls, Texas

18 km/h from the S — carrying smoke towards the N.

26°C · 57% humidity

Air quality Fair

PM2.5 6.9 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 28 · US AQI 53

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.

35 active fires in Texas

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
85 km N of Wichita Falls, Texas
34 detections~4.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-17 19:49 UTC34.663, -98.319
353 MW
2
Remote area
4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 19:47 UTC31.829, -95.920
39 MW
3
61 km SE of Houston, Texas
17 detections~6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 07:52 UTC29.373, -94.922
38 MW
4
Remote area
1 detectionlast seen 2026-09-17 19:47 UTC30.377, -99.426
28 MW
5
82 km NW of Midland, Texas
2 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 19:28 UTC32.425, -102.786
22 MW
6
95 km E of Waco, Texas
6 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 07:50 UTC31.351, -96.169
17 MW
7
51 km SE of Midland, Texas
12 detections~9.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-19 09:32 UTC31.614, -101.773
16 MW
8
Remote area
2 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 19:28 UTC35.077, -98.964
16 MW
9
36 km N of Amarillo, Texas
7 detectionslast seen 2026-09-18 09:49 UTC35.538, -101.896
13 MW
10
Remote area
4 detectionslast seen 2026-09-17 08:28 UTC31.618, -103.360
10 MW

Plus 44 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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