New free satellite layer lets anyone monitor wildfires via Copernicus Browser

Europe’s free Copernicus Browser has expanded its offering with a new wildfire visualization layer for Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, which went live on August 4. The addition stems from a JavaScript script authored by remote-sensing expert Pierre Markuse, who combined the red visible band, a narrow near-infrared band, and the short-wave infrared 2 band to differentiate fire activity, burning vegetation, and burned ground.

Users can now click the layer to see active fires rendered in white or yellow, live burns in red, and charred areas in dark brown or black. Sentinel-2’s three satellites provide multispectral images at resolutions as fine as 10 meters, making the data suitable for detailed fire observation. The service is part of the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program, which relies on the European Space Agency’s Sentinel fleet. By offering this tool for free, the platform aims to improve public awareness and response to wildfires worldwide.