Median Wildfire ignites in southwestern Idaho sagebrush on June 17, 2026, driven by drought-critical fuel moisture and high-pressure heat. Evacuations ordered; smoke extends 200+ miles.
🔥 OPEN LIVE 3D WILDFIRE GLOBEThe Median Wildfire ignited on June 17, 2026, in Gooding County, Idaho (42.806°N, 114.768°W), in the sagebrush-dominated landscape of southwestern Idaho. Real-time fire tracking data shows active growth with significant smoke production affecting air quality across the region. Residents within a 10-mile radius face evacuation orders as fire behavior intensifies under summer heat and dry conditions characteristic of the Great Basin.
Idaho's sagebrush ecosystem is primed for rapid wildfire propagation due to low fuel moisture (typically 8–12% in June) and continuous surface fuels—dried grasses and woody shrubs. The Median fire's behavior is driven by the high-pressure ridge dominating the western United States, creating sustained temperatures above 85°F and relative humidity below 25%, ideal conditions for fire spread. Wind shear from local canyon flows in the Owyhee country accelerates flames through discontinuous fuels in characteristic patchwork patterns.
Pandita Data integrates MODIS thermal anomaly detection from NASA FIRMS and high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to map fire perimeter, active flame front, and smoke aerosol optical depth in real time. Daily updates show fire behavior trend (growth rate, direction) overlaid on terrain and fuel maps, enabling predictive modeling of spread vectors and smoke transport.
Southwestern Idaho averages 350,000 acres burned annually. Sagebrush fires spread faster than forested fires due to low moisture and fuel continuity. Smoke impacts extend 200+ miles downwind, affecting air quality in Nevada and Utah.
Track the Median Wildfire's real-time perimeter, smoke dispersion, and weather conditions on Pandita Data's interactive wildfire simulation, updated hourly with live satellite feeds and fire behavior models.