Live satellite hotspots · source: NASA FIRMS
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The Algarve is Portugal's most visited holiday region and also one with a serious wildfire history. The 2018 Monchique fire burned more than 27,000 hectares and came within a few kilometres of villages near the coast. The underlying risk lies in the landscape: eucalyptus plantations, dense cistus scrub and abandoned agricultural terraces cover the Serra de Monchique and the Serra do Caldeirão, both a short drive inland from the beaches.
This map plots every satellite detection across the Algarve, from Sagres in the west to the Spanish border at Vila Real de Santo António. The coastal towns themselves are rarely at direct risk; the danger sits in the hills ten to thirty kilometres back from the sand, which is exactly where this map earns its keep for travellers planning day trips inland.
Hotspots come from the VIIRS instruments on NASA FIRMS satellites (NOAA-20, NOAA-21 and Suomi NPP) and are cross-checked against Copernicus EFFIS. A hotspot is a heat detection, not a confirmed fire: industrial sites, solar farms and permanent burners are filtered out automatically.
Serra de Monchique
Eucalyptus and cistus scrub blanket the steep slopes around Monchique and Fóia, the Algarve's highest point. This is where the region's largest fires have occurred, combining heavy fuel loads with few roads and scattered, isolated homes.
Serra do Caldeirão and the interior
Cork oak and dense shrubland stretch between Loulé, São Brás de Alportel and Tavira. Fires here often start during land-clearing work and spread rapidly under a north-westerly wind, threatening rural properties and farm access roads.
The coastal strip and Barlavento
Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira and Faro sit within farmed and built-up land with limited fuel. The main hazards for visitors are reed-bed fires, drifting smoke and temporarily closed mountain roads rather than direct threats to resorts.
Is there a wildfire in the Algarve right now?
The map shows every heat detection recorded over the Algarve in the past 18 hours. Press Live refresh to fetch the newest satellite pass and see immediately whether anything is currently burning.
Is the Algarve coast safe during the fire season?
Generally yes. The highest-risk areas lie inland in the hills, and coastal towns are almost never evacuated. Expect drifting smoke, closed minor roads and occasionally reduced air quality if a large fire breaks out in the Serra.
When is the wildfire risk highest?
Portugal's official heightened-alert season runs from 1 July to 30 September. The most dangerous days combine temperatures above 35°C with nordada, a dry north-easterly wind that dramatically increases fire spread.
What are the emergency numbers?
Call 112 for any emergency. SOS Floresta on 117 is the dedicated line for reporting a forest fire. Local civil protection (ANEPC) and the ICNF publish the daily fire-risk level for each municipality.
Are barbecues and campfires allowed?
Not during the fire season. Barbecues outside official designated areas, fireworks, burning garden waste and using forestry machinery during the hottest hours are all prohibited. At the maximum risk level, access to woodland areas is closed entirely.
Why do I sometimes see dots with no news of a fire?
Each detection is a heat reading roughly 375 metres wide and can also indicate agricultural burning or a smouldering, already-controlled fire. We flag isolated, weak detections as likely false alarms; a cluster of dots points to a genuine, active fire.
How do I see if a wildfire is close to my campsite or holiday address in the Algarve?
Use the location finder on this map: type your destination, village or campsite name, or tap "Use my location". The map instantly shows the distance in kilometres to the nearest active hotspot, and you can switch on alerts for fires within 5 to 100 km. Every search gets its own link, so you can share the situation around your own address with family or fellow travellers.