GeoMac - Real time wildfire information and maps

Get real-time forest and wildfire information from GeoMAC, part of the US National Interagency Fire Center.

The Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination Group or GeoMAC, is an internet-based mapping application originally designed for fire managers to access online maps of current fire locations and perimeters in the conterminous 48 States and Alaska. Using a standard web browser, fire personnel can view this information to pinpoint the affected areas. With the growing concern of western wildland fires in the summer of 2000, this application has also become available to the public.

Via the interactive map, you can see which fires are closest to you, identify fires, even view past fire history. This is especially timely during prime forest fire season here in the Northern hemisphere.

Scientists are predicting a continuing cycle of severe forest fire seasons for the foreseeable future, The year 2002 saw three huge fires that stretched firefighting resources to the breaking point: Biscuit burned 500,000 acres in southwestern Oregon, Rodeo-Chedeski burned 462,000 acres in Arizona, and the Hayman fire burned 136,000 acres in Colorado.

In 2006, 89,000 fires burned across 9.5 million acres. The U.S. Forest Service spent $1.5 billion fighting those fires - about $100 million over budget.