Satellite (MODIS) Thermal Hotspots and Fire Activity

This layer presents detectable thermal activity from MODIS satellites for the last 48 hours. MODIS Global Fires is a product of NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data. EOSDIS integrates remote sensing and GIS technologies to deliver global MODIS hotspot/fire locations to natural resource managers and other stakeholders around the World.
Source: NASA FIRMS - Active Fire Data - for World
Scale/Resolution: 1km
Update Frequency: 1/2 Hour (every 30 minutes) using the Aggregated Live Feed Methodology
Area Covered: World

Additional Information: MODIS stands for MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. The MODIS instrument is on board NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. The orbit of the Terra satellite goes from north to south across the equator in the morning and Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon resulting in global coverage every 1 to 2 days. The EOS satellites have a ±55 degree scanning pattern and orbit at 705 km with a 2,330 km swath width.
It takes approximately 2 – 4 hours after satellite overpass for MODIS Rapid Response to process the data, and for the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) to update the website. Occasionally, hardware errors mean that it takes longer than the 2-4 hours to process the data. Additional information on the MODIS system status can be found at MODIS Rapid Response.
Attribute Information:
  • Latitude and Longitude: The center point location of the 1km (approx.) pixel flagged as containing one or more fires/hotspots (fire size is not 1km, but variable). See What does a hotspot/fire detection mean on the ground?
  • Brightness: The brightness temperature measured (in Kelvin) using the MODIS channels 21/22 and channel 31.
  • Scan and Track: The actual spatial resolution of the scanned pixel. Although the algorithm works at 1km resolution, the MODIS pixels get bigger toward the edge of the scan. See What does scan and track mean?
  • Date: Acquisition date of the hotspot/active fire pixel.
  • Time: Time of the overpass of the satellite (in UTC).
  • Satellite: Whether the detection was picked up by the Terra or Aqua satellite.
  • Confidence: The detection confidence is a quality flag of the individual hotspot/active fire pixel.
  • Version: Version refers to the processing collection and source of data. The number before the decimal refers to the collection (e.g. MODIS Collection 6). The number after the decimal indicates the source of Level 1B data; data processed in near-real time by MODIS Rapid Response will have the source code “CollectionNumber.0”. Data sourced from MODAPS (with a 2-month lag) and processed by FIRMS using the standard MOD14/MYD14 Thermal Anomalies algorithm will have a source code “CollectionNumber.x”. For example, data with the version listed as 5.0 is collection 5, processed by MRR, data with the version listed as 5.1 is collection 5 data processed by FIRMS using Level 1B data from MODAPS.
  • Bright.T31: Channel 31 brightness temperature (in Kelvins) of the hotspot/active fire pixel.
  • FRP: Fire Radiative Power. Depicts the pixel-integrated fire radiative power in MW (MegaWatts). FRP provides information on the measured radiant heat output of detected fires. The amount of radiant heat energy liberated per unit time (the Fire Radiative Power) is thought to be related to the rate at which fuel is being consumed (Wooster et. al. (2005)).
This map is provided for informational purposes and is not monitored 24/7 for accuracy and currency.

Data and Resources

Field Value
dcat_issued 2015-12-11T21:53:55.000Z
dcat_modified 2025-05-07T21:27:16.000Z
dcat_publisher_name Esri
guid https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=fc30273f2c904f819121f7c52d64ca18
Tags
  • Esri
  • FIRMS
  • Hot spots
  • Live Feed
  • MODIS
  • University of Marylands
  • Wildfire
  • disturbance
  • earth observations
  • hazards
  • landscape
  • risk
isopen False
metadata_created 2026-08-20T14:56:39.754962
metadata_modified 2026-08-20T14:56:39.754969
notes <div><font color='#4d4d4d'>This layer presents detectable thermal activity from MODIS satellites for the last 48 hours. </font><a href='https://earthdata.nasa.gov/earth-observation-data/near-real-time/firms/active-fire-data' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>MODIS Global Fires</a><font color='#4d4d4d'> is a product of NASA’s </font><a href='https://earthdata.nasa.gov/about' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Earth Observing System Data and Information System</a><font color='#4d4d4d'> (EOSDIS), part of NASA's </font><a href='https://earthdata.nasa.gov/about' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Earth Science Data</a><font color='#4d4d4d'>. EOSDIS integrates remote sensing and GIS technologies to deliver global MODIS hotspot/fire locations to natural resource managers and other stakeholders around the World.</font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><br /></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Source:</b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>NASA </font><a href='https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/active_fire/#firms-shapefile' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>FIRMS - Active Fire Data - for World</a></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><br /></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Scale/Resolution:</b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>1km</font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><br /></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Update Frequency:</b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>1/2 Hour (every 30 minutes) using the </font><a href='https://www.esriurl.com/LiveFeed' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Aggregated Live Feed Methodology</a></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Area Covered:</b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>World</font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><br /></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Additional Information:</b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>MODIS stands for MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. The MODIS instrument is on board NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. The orbit of the Terra satellite goes from north to south across the equator in the morning and Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon resulting in global coverage every 1 to 2 days. The EOS satellites have a ±55 degree scanning pattern and orbit at 705 km with a 2,330 km swath width.</font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><br /></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'>It takes approximately 2 – 4 hours after satellite overpass for MODIS Rapid Response to process the data, and for the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) to update the website. Occasionally, hardware errors mean that it takes longer than the 2-4 hours to process the data. Additional information on the MODIS system status can be found at MODIS Rapid Response.</font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font color='#4d4d4d'><b>Attribute Information:</b></font></div><div><ul><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Latitude and Longitude: The center point location of the 1km (approx.) pixel flagged as containing one or more fires/hotspots (fire size is not 1km, but variable). See </font><a href='https://earthdata.nasa.gov/faq/firms-faq#ed-modis-fire-onground' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><i>What does a hotspot/fire detection mean on the ground?</i></a></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Brightness: The brightness temperature measured (in Kelvin) using the MODIS channels 21/22 and channel 31.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Scan and Track: The actual spatial resolution of the scanned pixel. Although the algorithm works at 1km resolution, the MODIS pixels get bigger toward the edge of the scan. See What does scan and track mean?</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Date: Acquisition date of the hotspot/active fire pixel.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Time: Time of the overpass of the satellite (in UTC).</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Satellite: Whether the detection was picked up by the Terra or Aqua satellite.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Confidence: The detection confidence is a quality flag of the individual hotspot/active fire pixel.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Version: Version refers to the processing collection and source of data. The number before the decimal refers to the collection (e.g. MODIS Collection 6). The number after the decimal indicates the source of Level 1B data; data processed in near-real time by MODIS Rapid Response will have the source code “CollectionNumber.0”. Data sourced from MODAPS (with a 2-month lag) and processed by FIRMS using the standard MOD14/MYD14 Thermal Anomalies algorithm will have a source code “CollectionNumber.x”. For example, data with the version listed as 5.0 is collection 5, processed by MRR, data with the version listed as 5.1 is collection 5 data processed by FIRMS using Level 1B data from MODAPS.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>Bright.T31: Channel 31 brightness temperature (in Kelvins) of the hotspot/active fire pixel.</font></li><li><font color='#4d4d4d'>FRP: Fire Radiative Power. Depicts the pixel-integrated fire radiative power in MW (MegaWatts). FRP provides information on the measured radiant heat output of detected fires. The amount of radiant heat energy liberated per unit time (the Fire Radiative Power) is thought to be related to the rate at which fuel is being consumed (Wooster et. al. (2005)).</font></li></ul><span style='color:rgb(77, 77, 77);'>This map is provided for informational purposes and is not monitored 24/7 for accuracy and currency.</span><br /></div>
num_resources 1
num_tags 12
title Satellite (MODIS) Thermal Hotspots and Fire Activity
url https://www.caribbeangeoportal.com/maps/esri::satellite-modis-thermal-hotspots-and-fire-activity