Are there wildfires in China right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 915 active fire hotspots in China 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 China Today

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

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

915

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

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

20°C · 93% humidity

Air quality Very poor

PM2.5 128.5 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 84 · US AQI 149

Everyone should limit outdoor exertion. Keep windows closed if smoke is nearby.

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.

89 active fires in China

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
25 detectionslast seen 2026-08-05 04:44 UTC51.502, 128.213
420 MW
2
Remote area
61 detections~18.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-04 18:58 UTC46.646, 116.513
168 MW
3
Remote area
7 detections~2.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 06:22 UTC36.042, 100.430
111 MW
4
Remote area
28 detections~5.3 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-04 20:40 UTC43.688, 95.013
90 MW
5
Remote area
18 detections~5.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 04:42 UTC41.149, 122.983
67 MW
6
Remote area
15 detections~2.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 04:40 UTC34.464, 133.433
64 MW
7
Remote area
8 detections~5.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 04:40 UTC34.498, 133.724
64 MW
8
Remote area
4 detections~2 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 04:38 UTC33.262, 131.648
50 MW
9
Remote area
5 detectionslast seen 2026-08-05 04:40 UTC36.917, 118.015
40 MW
10
Remote area
8 detections~24 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 06:20 UTC30.539, 103.766
38 MW

Plus 301 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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