Right now
The most recent data we hold from NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) arrived 7 minutes ago, and this point is not in it. We record detections, not passes: an absence is not proof that nothing is there.
Nothing else has been detected within 20 km in the last 24 hours.
Recorded by satellite 59 days ago.
A thermal anomaly is a snapshot of one satellite pass, not a record of a fire’s life: we cannot say whether it kept burning after that pass.
It is the 8th strongest of the 178 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 6 March 2024. The last comparable one was on 16 June 2026.
What the source measured
NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) reported 59 fire pixels with a combined fire radiative power of 2334 MW, at nominal confidence, 42 km from Pasco.
The 59 pixels cover about 8.3 km² — that is the footprint of the detection grid at 375 m resolution, not an estimate of how much land burned.
FIRMS does not report burned area, and neither do we.
Urban PEI: 29,889 within a heuristic 50 km radius; not unique people.
Wind from SSW at 19 km/h at 19:00 UTC, according to MET Norway.
Nearby, since 6 March 2024
- July 17, 2026 · score 72 · 0.2 km
- June 16, 2026 · score 67 · 16.3 km
- June 15, 2026 · score 67 · 21.4 km
How we know
One source: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS). Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 72 out of 100.
This is our versioned heuristic index, not source severity or a calibrated probability. Urban PEI does not count unique people.
Wind: MET Norway Locationforecast, CC BY 4.0.
Computed under scoring rules v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Under rules v1–v3, Critical for a wildfire measured only the radiative power the satellite saw, not the people near it; since v4 (1 September 2026) it also requires exposed population. This page keeps the word it was published with.
Event Data
| Type | Wildfires |
| Severity | Critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 72 / 100 |
| Legacy data-support index | 0.84/1 |
| Coordinates | 46.4658, -118.6662 |
| Nearest City | Pasco (42 km) |
| Urban exposure index (PEI) | 29.9K within 50 km |
| Impact Tier | significant |
| Timestamp | 2026-07-16T21:29:00.000Z |
| Source | https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@-118.666,46.466,9z |
Physical priority index · v1. Heuristic priority, not calibrated probability, predictive accuracy or damage. The legacy data-support index combines assigned source support and field availability. Urban PEI is distance-weighted and does not count unique people; zero does not establish that nobody is present. Model cards.
Source and revision timeline
Source: firms. Occurrence: 2026-07-16T21:29:00.000Z.
First archived: 2026-07-17T12:15:19.267Z. Material modification: not recorded.
Retained revisions are prospective; earlier versions may be unavailable. No revision entry does not prove that a record never changed.
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Brightness | 367 |
| Frp | 2334.22 |
| PixelCount | 59 |
| Confidence | nominal |
Cascade Risks
Safety Information
If a wildfire is approaching: follow evacuation orders immediately. Do not wait to see the fire. Close all windows and doors, remove combustible materials from around your home, and have an emergency go-bag ready. Air quality can deteriorate rapidly even at distance from the fire front — monitor local air quality advisories.
Series begins 8 March 2026 for live collection; the monthly chart also counts backfilled detections from 10 February 2024. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Review the area, threshold and delivery channel in your account.
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In the news nearby
A list of links found by GDELT for this place and this hazard in the last seven days. External, not ours: we have not read them and do not vouch for them.
No news is listed: GDELT was not available when this page was rendered.
GDELT Project · gdeltproject.org