Strikewatch

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How to read this map

Where lightning has hit, where fires are burning, and how dry the land is.

Is the data fresh?

Top right: a green dot means up to date (new data every 10 minutes). An amber dot and a banner mean the data is late, so recent lightning may be missing.

Lightning

Each glow is a strike seen by satellite. Color is time since it struck: bright white-blue is the last hour, fading to purple over 3 days. Size is the size of the flash, not the fire risk. New strikes flash as they arrive. Positions are accurate to a few km.

Fires

Flame badge: a wildfire reported by fire agencies. Tap it for its name and size.

Small orange dot: a satellite saw unusual heat. Often a fire, sometimes a controlled burn or industry. A heat dot near recent lightning is worth watching.

Fuel dryness (turn on under Layers)

Green is wet, orange is very dry. Lightning on dry ground is far more likely to start a fire.

The panel

Choose how far back to show lightning (1 hour to 3 days), switch layers, and check each data source. Tap anything on the map for details. 3D tilts the map to show the terrain.

Not an official warning. Call 911 in an emergency. For evacuations, follow your county and local fire agencies.

Lightning in the last

Layers

Lightning, by time since it struck

A bigger glow means a bigger flash, not a bigger fire risk.

Data sources