Wildfires in Atacama, Chile
Atacama is a region of Chile — semi-arid scrub, the transverse valleys and coastal steppe. This live map tracks every wildfire and satellite hotspot detected across Atacama, updated continuously from NASA satellite data and official national fire sources. Wildfires here increase over the summer, December to March, helped by the prolonged drought of recent decades. Its capital is Copiapó. Other main centres include Vallenar and Chañaral.
Current fires in Atacama
No significant fires are currently detected in Atacama.
Main towns
Copiapó Vallenar Chañaral
Neighbouring regions
Wildfire season in Atacama
Wildfires across Atacama increase over the summer, December to March, helped by the prolonged drought of recent decades. Higher temperatures, low humidity and wind make fires start and spread faster — check the fire-danger level before lighting any fire or working outdoors.
What the Atacama fire map shows
Every fire on this page is an automatic heat detection from NASA satellites (VIIRS and MODIS), grouped into fire events and updated continuously; where official national sources publish data, it is shown alongside. Satellite detections are not verified on the ground — never use them for safety decisions, and always follow the emergency services (call 130).
Frequently asked questions
When is the wildfire season in Atacama?
Which places in Atacama does the map cover?
Where does the Atacama wildfire data come from?
Is the Atacama fire map official?
⚠️ The fires shown are automatic satellite heat detections from NASA FIRMS, augmented with CONAF official information where available. Satellite detections are not verified on the ground and are not 100% accurate — they can include false alarms (industrial heat, burn-offs) or miss small or cloud-covered fires. Do not use this map for safety decisions; always follow official sources.