Start with the question, then choose the map
Are you trying to see where a satellite detected heat, whether an agency is managing a named fire, or where an official perimeter has been mapped? These are not interchangeable tasks. The NASA FIRMS service distributes active-fire detections from MODIS and VIIRS. A point indicates a thermal observation in a satellite pixel, not a confirmed incident name, property impact or evacuation boundary. Our hotspot explainer covers the measurement in detail.
For a reported US incident, go to the National Interagency Fire Center's fire information page. It points readers to InciWeb for incident-specific updates from personnel assigned to a fire. NIFC's map directory separates current large fires, historical perimeters and other map products. Check the map legend and timestamp before comparing its shape with a PocketWorld point.
Why a hotspot and a perimeter may disagree
A satellite may observe only part of a fire at an overpass. Clouds, smoke, sensor resolution and the time between overpasses can hide activity. A perimeter is compiled through a different process and can lag the changing edge of a fire. A hotspot outside a displayed perimeter is therefore a reason to check dates and providers, not proof that either map is wrong. Conversely, no point near an incident does not mean the fire is out.
The NIFC map directory also distinguishes the Incident Management Situation Report from a complete list of every small fire. Its large-fire summary has a reporting scope. Do not count markers in PocketWorld and compare that number directly with a national incident total; satellite pixels and agency incidents use different units.
A repeatable US checking workflow
Open the PocketWorld wildfire map to explore the broad pattern. Record the displayed provider, observation time and selected layer. If you need an agency-confirmed incident, search NIFC's linked InciWeb resource by place or incident name. If you need a perimeter, choose the relevant NIFC map product and inspect when that boundary was updated. Keeping these three records separate makes a screenshot or shared link easier to interpret later.
US wildfire response is local as well as federal. A national map cannot tell you which road is open or whether an address must evacuate. Follow the responsible state, tribal, county or municipal authority for local instructions, and verify that any message is current. PocketWorld is an informational map, not an alert service.
What to share with someone else
If you share a map observation, include the place, provider, layer and time checked. Say “satellite detection” when that is what you saw; reserve “incident” for an agency report and “perimeter” for a mapped boundary. Avoid turning a visual cluster into an estimate of burned area or affected homes. The PocketWorld methodology explains how provider data and retained snapshots are presented.
Data sources
References are linked beside the explanations above. This evergreen guide does not report current incidents.