Understanding the NASA Fire Detection data (FIRMS)

Understanding the NASA Fire Detection data (FIRMS)

Overview

Parish Online (and XMAP for Local Authorities) include live data feeds from various sources. Once such dataset is the NASA Fire Detection data. It's captured by satellite and detects fire. Fires are represented by a red marker on the map.

There are multiple showing the locations of fires over 7, 24, 48 and 72 hours.

This data is mostly used to detect wildfires, but can also be used to identify flare stacks (from industry) and military conflicts (fortunately we don't have much of the latter).

Uses of the data

Potential uses of the data include:
  1. Identify the location of wildfires and draw out cordons, identify affected properties and consider action like informing residents.
  2. Considering the location of industrial sites and their affect on air quality, but could also be used as part of decarbonisation strategies.

Access the Data

To access the data;
  1. Log into your Parish Online account
  2. Scroll down the Layer Control to find the "NASA Fire Detection (FIRMS)" collection
  3. Expand the Collection
  4. Click one of the layers to turn it on.


Examples

Wildfire in Abersychan, Torfaen

Wildfire in Cairgorms, Highlands


Heat sources from oil refinery


Reflection from solar panels (false positive)



Tips

  1. Switch on the Aerial Photography and zoom into a location where there are red markers. This will give you a clue to whether this is genuine wildfire or an industrial site.
  2. Remember that the existence of a marker does not necessarily mean there is still a fire there, just that there was one within the timeframe of the layer you've got switched on.
  3. Sometimes the layer is a bit slow to load. Give it 15 seconds or so then pan the map to retry. The feeds we use sometimes get clogged up.

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