1
Query active hotspots
Send a Sample response:Each hotspot object includes:
GET request to /fires/hotspots with a center coordinate and search radius. The API returns all active fire detections within that circle for the requested number of past days.2
Get the aggregated risk score
The
/fires/risk endpoint calls the same FIRMS data source and converts the hotspot count into a normalised 0–100 risk score.The risk endpoint always uses a 5-day lookback and the
VIIRS_SNPP_NRT source. Use /fires/hotspots directly if you need different parameters.3
Adjust the search radius
The
radius_km parameter (default 100) defines the circular search area around your coordinate.A smaller radius gives you a sharper signal for a specific property but raises the chance of missing a nearby fire that still poses a risk through smoke, heat, or wind-driven spread. For crop insurance or index-based products, 100 km is a reasonable starting radius.
4
Choose a days lookback
The
days parameter accepts integers from 1 to 5 (default 5). It controls how far back the FIRMS query looks for detections.A single-day window gives you the most recent picture but can undercount fires that were active yesterday and have since spread. A 5-day window smooths out satellite revisit gaps — VIIRS has a roughly 12-hour revisit time at the equator, so a 1-day window may miss detections that fell between passes.
5
Switch satellite source
The
source parameter (default VIIRS_SNPP_NRT) selects the NASA FIRMS data product:For the highest detection density, you can query
VIIRS_SNPP_NRT and VIIRS_NOAA20_NRT separately and combine the results. MODIS is useful when you need a longer continuous archive or if VIIRS data is temporarily unavailable.