ThermalGlobe field guide

Satellite Fire Detection Guides

Learn what the globe actually measures before interpreting a point. These guides separate satellite observation, fire behaviour, source timing and official emergency information.

Updated 2026-08-29 · Editorial responsibility: ZENIT GROUP S.A.S.

Start with the map

How to read the ThermalGlobe mapColours, clusters, confidence, timestamps and source status.Why a hotspot is not always a wildfireThe essential difference between a thermal anomaly and a confirmed incident.

Understand the instruments

How satellite fire detection worksFrom measured radiance and contextual tests to a published observation.VIIRS vs MODIS fire detectionsWhy the sensor families differ and why ThermalGlobe keeps them separate.What Fire Radiative Power meansHow to read FRP without turning it into area, severity or risk.

Understand gaps and timing

Why satellites can miss a fireOrbit, cloud, smoke, terrain, resolution and processing limitations.Observation time vs update timeFour different timestamps that should never be treated as one.

Move from observation to official information

How to find official wildfire alertsA country-safe process for leaving the satellite layer and finding responsible authorities.Read sources and methodologyThe versioned data, validation, release and display contract behind ThermalGlobe.