ESA's Copernicus Browser adds wildfire layer for high-res fire tracking
Sentinel-2's 10-meter resolution now shows active fires, burn scars in one click
The European Space Agency's Copernicus Browser, the free portal for EU Earth observation imagery, quietly gained a powerful new default layer on August 4: a dedicated "wildfires" visualization for Sentinel-2 satellite data. The layer was built from a JavaScript script originally created by remote sensing expert Pierre Markuse, which combines the red visible band, the narrow near-infrared band for detecting vegetation stress, and the short-wave infrared 2 band to reveal moisture loss in soil. The result is a stark, intuitive view where active fires appear white or yellow, burning vegetation is red, and burned landscapes show as dark brown or black.
Previously, users had to manually paste Markuse's custom script into Copernicus Browser sessions. ESA Sentinel-2 mission scientist Simon Proud lobbied to make it a built-in option, and successfully pushed the integration through—announcing it on a Bellingcat Discord server. The advantage over alternatives is resolution: NASA's FIRMS fire map updates in hours but offers only 250-meter resolution, while Sentinel-2 refreshes every few days and delivers up to 10-meter detail. That makes it the best freely available tool for high-resolution tracking of wildfires and even conflict zones, especially as wildfire seasons worsen globally.
- New default "wildfires" layer in Copernicus Browser uses Sentinel-2 imagery at 10-meter resolution
- Script by Pierre Markuse combines 3 spectral bands to highlight active fires, burning vegetation, and burn scars
- Integrated on August 4 after push by ESA mission scientist Simon Proud; NASA's FIRMS offers only 250m resolution
Why It Matters
Democratizes high-resolution wildfire monitoring for emergency responders, researchers, and the public, improving response during worsening fire seasons.