Using NASA FIRMS in Open Source Investigations

Some satellites carry instruments with sensors that detect heat.
The data they generate can capture signatures from wildfires and even missile launches and explosions.

In this guide, Carlos Gonzales explains how to use NASA FIRMS to track such events.

While we encourage you to use the tips and techniques shown in this guide, it is important to note that satellite-derived active fire/thermal anomalies have limited accuracy and should be treated carefully. Please read the following disclaimer.

For this report, Bellingcat acknowledges the use of data and/or imagery from NASA's

Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) (https://earthdata.nasa.gov/firms), part of NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).

We also acknowledge the use of imagery from the Worldview Snapshots application (https://wvs.earthdata.nasa.gov), part of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).