WILDFIRE TRACKER
NASA FIRMS & EPA LIVE

Delaware Wildfires Today

Real-time tracking of active fire incidents, smoke plumes, and satellite thermal hotspots across Delaware.

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Live Satellite Map for Delaware

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How to Track Smoke & Fires in Delaware

If you live in or are traveling to Delaware, staying informed about active wildfires is crucial for your safety. Our interactive live wildfire map provides near-real-time updates on active fire perimeters, thermal hotspots, and smoke plumes moving across the state.

The map aggregates data from two highly reliable government sources:

  • NASA FIRMS (MODIS & VIIRS): These satellites orbit the Earth and detect intense thermal anomalies. When a satellite passes over Delaware and detects extreme heat, a red dot (hotspot) is placed on the map. This is often the first indicator of a new fire before ground crews arrive.
  • NIFC / WFIGS: The National Interagency Fire Center provides the official incident perimeters. These are the grey shaded polygons you see on the map, representing the actual land area that has been burned by wildfires today.

Monitoring the Wildfire Smoke Map

Wildfire smoke is a significant health hazard, often affecting communities hundreds of miles away from the actual flames. When the smoke layer is active on the map above, you can track the trajectory of PM2.5 particulate matter and see if the wildfire smoke map predicts poor air quality in your specific city or county within Delaware.

During peak fire season, it is recommended to check the wildfires near me map daily. If a fire perimeter is growing rapidly toward your location, you should immediately tune in to local emergency broadcasts and follow all official evacuation orders. Satellite maps are a powerful tool for situational awareness, but they operate with a slight delay and should not replace local emergency alerts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our live map displays all active wildfire perimeters and satellite-detected thermal hotspots across Delaware. The data is sourced directly from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and NASA satellites. Scroll up to the interactive map to see exact locations, and zoom in to view affected counties and local topography.
The satellite fire map uses near-real-time data from NASA's MODIS (1km resolution) and VIIRS (375m resolution) instruments. While highly accurate for detecting intense thermal anomalies (heat), it's important to note that satellites only pass over Delaware a few times a day. Cloud cover or heavy smoke can also obscure detections. Always rely on local emergency management for evacuation orders.
The red dots represent thermal hotspots detected by satellite sensors. This means the satellite detected a temperature significantly higher than the surrounding area, which is usually indicative of an active fire front. A cluster of red dots often outlines the actively burning edge of a larger wildfire in Delaware.
A fire perimeter is the official, ground-truthed boundary of a wildfire, mapped by firefighting aircraft or ground crews. A satellite hotspot is an automated detection of intense heat from space. Hotspots provide a rapid, near-real-time view of where the fire is actively burning right now, while perimeters show the total area the fire has consumed over time.
By toggling the "Smoke Plumes" layer on our interactive map (when available), you can view surface smoke and air quality impacts. Smoke travels quickly depending on wind patterns, so you may experience poor air quality even if the fire is hundreds of miles away from your location in Delaware.

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