Are there wildfires in Alberta right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 299 active fire hotspots in Alberta 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 Alberta Today

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

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

299

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at 21 km N of Kelowna, British Columbia

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

17°C · 57% humidity

Air quality Extremely poor

PM2.5 189.1 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 146 · US AQI 207

Avoid outdoor exertion. Stay indoors with windows closed where possible.

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.

18 active fires in Alberta

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
21 km N of Kelowna, British Columbia
67 detections~5 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:50 UTC50.079, -119.531
629 MW
2
Remote area
44 detections~4.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC51.547, -116.833
385 MW
3
Remote area
20 detections~2.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC48.931, -116.552
190 MW
4
87 km E of Kelowna, British Columbia
32 detections~9.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC49.988, -118.291
152 MW
5
Remote area
18 detections~5.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC50.492, -117.172
133 MW
6
Remote area
16 detections~10.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC49.691, -116.200
125 MW
7
49 km N of Kelowna, British Columbia
14 detections~16.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC50.326, -119.395
106 MW
8
Remote area
8 detections~4.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC49.855, -117.712
72 MW
9
Remote area
12 detectionslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC51.388, -119.708
60 MW
10
Remote area
9 detections~4.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 10:11 UTC50.372, -116.513
50 MW

Plus 20 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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