Tracking Wildfires

Last updated 6/5/2023 4:00pm PT
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I gather information here to help you track a wildfire anywhere in the US, with specific focus on Central California.
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Active Wildfires I’m Tracking

  • None

To see a list of past wildfire posts, visit the Wildfire Archive page.

Fire Links by County

Want to Do Your Own Research?

*WATCH*
Video showing some of the tools on this page

For a good introduction on how to use some of the links included on this page, check out this Facebook video from Jeff Aiello, which he made on 9/28/2020 to help track the Glass Fire.

Emergency Alerts

To receive emergency alerts for your area, text your zip code to 888777, or go to www.nixle.com

Official Inciweb & CALFire Information

There are two sites that should list most of the active wildfires on the west coast:

A) Go to inciweb.nwcg.gov to see a map and list of most active wildfires. Click on an incident to go to the official page and see information like the size of the fire, percentage containment, official contact phone numbers and a whole lot more. The larger the fire, the more information you’re likely to find on this site.

B) Some fires may not be listed on Inciweb, in which case you can check CalFire’s Incident Map.

Watch Duty

Watch Duty, created in 2022, combines an incident map with timely updates and photos of fires in your area from a team of knowledgeable volunteers. You can view their browser version or download the app for Apple or Android to receive alerts for new incidents and updates.

Maps

The map links below are centered over California, but you can move around and zoom in on any region or wildfire in the US. Note: None of these maps provide real-time data. Refer to timestamps on each map to see the age of the map or specific hotspot.

Webcams

  • ALERT California Cameras
    • Many of the cameras previously available in the Alert Wildfire site have migrated to this new site. Go to https://alertca.live. You can search for cameras by address, browse the map, or click in the “Search cameras” box to see a dropdown of all camera choices.
  • Alert Wildfire Cameras
    • NOTE: As of fall 2022 many cameras from this site have migrated to ALERT California. Go to www.alertwildfire.org. Select a region by clicking on the black dot and then link. One of the region’s cameras will be shown by default, but check out all the available cameras on the map to the right, or the screenshots below the image. You can view a live image or a time-lapse animation. Note: When active wildfires are in the area of a camera, operators may shift the camera to focus directly on the fire.
  • Caltrans CCTV Map
    • Go to cwwp2.dot.ca.gov/vm/iframemap.htm and check to see if there are any cameras near the fire area. Click on the camera icon to see a live shot. Note: Video playback currently works only for laptop and desktop computers, not mobile devices.

Smoke & Air Quality

  • AirNow Fire Map: This hybrid air quality map shows both official EPA sensors (more accurate) and low-cost and temporary sensors (more localized and more current) to give better to the minute information in fire areas where air quality can change rapidly due to smoke.
  • AirNow Air Quality Map: Shows only the official EPA sensors, but can be used if the hybrid map above (still a pilot program) is not working.
  • Wildland Fire Smoke Outlook: Click on any of the blue squares on the map to see the smoke outlook for that area for the next few days.
  • GOES WEST- Pacific Coast Viewer: See a time-lapse satellite view of smoke conditions for the west coast
  • California Smoke Information: A compilation of resources from public agencies for communities affected by wildfire smoke.

Weather

Go to the National Weather Service’s www.weather.gov and type in your zip code to get specific weather information and links to fire-specific resources if available.

Finding More Info for a Specific Fire

  • Social Media
    • If you have accounts for Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, log in and then search for the hashtag associated with the fire you’re tracking. For example, search for #OakFire or #SQFComplexFire
    • Search for these official Facebook or Twitter accounts for your region:
      • Local/County Fire Department or CalFire
      • Local/County Sheriffs Office (should have information on evacuations and repopulation)
      • If the fire is in a National Forest area, search for the specific account for that forest, for example Sequoia National Forest or Sierra National Forest
      • Search for local news outlets’ accounts, like TV news, online news sites, newspapers, and the social media accounts of individual reporters.
    • Search for and join Facebook groups in the town/region of the fire. This can be a good place to see photos, videos, and share information, but remember to be cautious of any unverified information found here, as you would with any social media site.
  • Webcams
    • Search for additional webcams that might show fire or smoke conditions by doing a search for “webcam [town or city name]” (for example, you could search “webcam Calistoga” for the Glass Fire)

Preparation & Evacuation Information

County Links

Madera County

Emergency
Alerts
Sign up at Madera County MCAlert
– OR –
Text your zip code to 888777
Evacuation
Resources
Humans
For evacuation assistance, call the Sheriff’s Dept. at (559) 675-7770. If it is an emergency, call 911.
Animals
From 8am-5pm call the Madera Co. 311 service line for a live operator.
After 5 pm, TEXT your request to (866) 333-3822
Central California Animal Disaster Team
Website and Facebook page
Large
Incident Tracking
CALFire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov
MapsCALTopo
Street Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot
Topo Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot
Forest Service Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot

#FireMappers
Current Wildfires + Cameras + Satellite Data + Weather

Air Attack
FlightRadar24
Scanner
Channels
Madera, Mariposa, Merced Counties Fire
Full list of Madera Co. Scanner Channels
WebcamsALERTCalifornia Wildfire Cameras – Madera Co

Oakhurst
CALTRANS Hwy 41 & 49 (still image only on mobile devices, video requires Flash)
SierraTel Deadwood Cam

Bass Lake
Pines Resort

Coarsegold
ABC-30 Chukchansi Resort & Casino Live Cam

Madera/Fresno County Line
ABC-30 Valley Children’s Hospital

Yosemite Area
Fish Camp Big Creek Meadow
Yosemite National Park Webcams
Weather
& Smoke
IQAir
AirNow Fire Map: This hybrid map shows both official EPA sensors (more accurate) and low-cost and temporary sensors (more localized and more current)
GOES WEST- Pacific Coast Viewer (satellite smoke conditions)
National Weather Service – Hanford
NWS Current Forecast Discussion
Official
Social Media
CALFire MMU: Facebook | Twitter
Madera Co. Fire: Facebook
Madera County Sheriff: Facebook | Twitter
Sierra National Forest: Facebook | Twitter
Independent
Social Media
Facebook
Mountain Fire & Emergency Group (admins report only verified information)
Sierra 911 Group (admins report only verified information)
Talk of the Hill Group (community group may contain unverified information)

Twitter
@CAFireScanner (reports on fires throughout CA)
Local NewsNews Stations
Sierra News Online
ABC-30 Fresno
KMPH Fresno
KSEE24 YourCentralValley.com
Fresno Bee

Individual Reporters
Kevin Musso ABC30
Corin Hoggard ABC30

Fresno County

Emergency
Alerts
Sign up at Fresno County Mobile Alerts
– OR –
Text your zip code to 888777
Evacuation
Resources
Fresno Co. Evacuation Map

Animal Evacuation Request:
https://redcap.link/helpmyanimals
Central California Animal Disaster Team
Website and Facebook page
Large Incident
Tracking
CALFire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov
Yosemite NP Fire Information
MapsCalTopo
Street Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot
Topo Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot
Forest Service Map + Fire Activity + Wind Plot

#FireMappers
Current Wildfires + Cameras + Satellite Data + Weather

Air Attack
FlightRadar24
Scanner ChannelsFresno County CALFire & USFS
Eastern Fresno County Fire Dispatch
WebcamsALERTCalifornia Cameras – Fresno Co
CALTRANS Prather Hwy 168 (still image only on mobile devices, video requires Flash)

Shaver Lake
Shaver Liquor
Norm’s
Mountain Trippers
Shaver Gas

Huntington Lake
China Peak Landing
China Peak Resort Cams

Madera/Fresno County Line
ABC-30 Valley Children’s Hospital
Weather &
Smoke
IQAir
AirNow Fire Map: This hybrid map shows both official EPA sensors (more accurate) and low-cost and temporary sensors (more localized and more current)
GOES WEST- Pacific Coast Viewer (satellite smoke conditions)
National Weather Service – Hanford
NWS Current Forecast Discussion
Official
Social Media
CALFire/Fresno County Fire: Facebook | Twitter
Fresno County Sheriff: Facebook | Twitter
Independent Social MediaFacebook
Sierra 911 Group (admins report only verified information)
Talk of the Hill Group (community group may contain unverified information)

Twitter
@CAFireScanner (reports on fires throughout CA)
Local NewsNews Stations
ABC-30 Fresno
KMPH Fresno
KSEE24 YourCentralValley.com
Fresno Bee

Individual Reporters
Kevin Musso ABC30
Corin Hoggard ABC30

Mariposa County + Yosemite

Emergency AlertsSign up at Mariposa County MSO Alert
Sign up at Mariposa County Notify Me
– OR –
Text your zip code to 888777
Evacuation ResourcesAnimal Evacuation
Call the Sheriff’s Office / Animal Services at (209) 966-3615
Large Incident TrackingCALFire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov
MapsYOSEMITE
Yosemite Current Year Fire Activity
Scanner ChannelsMariposa County Scanner Channels
WebcamsMariposa
ALERTCalifornia Cameras – Mariposa Co
CALTRANS Mariposa Hwy 140

Yosemite Area
Fish Camp Big Creek Meadow
Yosemite National Park Webcams
Weather & SmokeMariposa Co. Air Quality Index
Official Social MediaCALFire MMU: Facebook | Twitter
Mariposa Co. Fire: Facebook
Mariposa Co. Sheriff: Facebook | Twitter
Sierra National Forest: Facebook | Twitter
Independent Social MediaTwitter
@CAFireScanner (reports on fires throughout CA)
Local NewsABC-30: Mariposa
Sierra News Online: Mariposa
Mariposa Gazette (subscription required)
Recovery InformationMariposa County Recovers