Real-time coverage of wildfires event — Median Wildfire, Gooding, Idaho — Pandita Data.
🔥 OPEN LIVE 3D WILDFIRE GLOBEThe Median Wildfire erupted near Gooding, Idaho (42.806°N, 114.768°W) on June 17, 2026, in sagebrush-dominated terrain with extreme fire conditions. This event poses immediate threats to rural communities, livestock operations, and regional air quality across southwestern Idaho and neighboring states.
Evacuations are underway in Gooding County as the fire advances through dry grassland and scattered juniper. Smoke plumes are already affecting visibility and air quality across a 200+ mile radius, with the nearest populated areas facing hazardous air quality indices (AQI 150+).
Idaho's high desert ecosystem—dominated by sagebrush and native grasses—becomes tinderbox-like in June after winter snowpack melts and spring moisture evaporates. June 2026 temperatures exceeded 95°F with relative humidity below 15%, creating ideal combustion conditions. Wind gusts from the southwest funnel through river valleys, accelerating fire spread across the landscape at rates of 5–15 acres per hour in initial hours.
Sagebrush fires burn intensely because the vegetation contains volatile oils that ignite at lower temperatures and sustain rapid flame propagation. The region's elevation (4,000–5,000 ft) and sparse tree cover limit natural firebreaks, allowing fires to advance until they hit irrigated farmland or rocky terrain.
Pandita's real-time 3D wildfire simulation ingests USGS thermal infrared data from Landsat 8 and NOAA GOES satellites, mapping active fire perimeters every 10–30 minutes. Smoke plume tracking uses NOAA HYSPLIT trajectory models, projecting air quality impacts downwind into Montana and Oregon.
June–September; 2,000+ fires annually; sagebrush fires spread 3–5× faster than timber fires.
Smoke from high desert fires travels 500+ miles; particulate matter (PM2.5) causes respiratory harm, especially in children and elderly populations.
Watch the Median Wildfire evolve in real-time on Pandita's 3D wildfire simulator, integrated with live satellite thermal data and smoke trajectory forecasting. Understanding fire behavior and wind patterns saves lives.