The Fire wave which is affecting, at this time, eight of the Autonomous Communities of Spain makes it necessary to have the best information about the areas it affects and its state. A quick way to access it is through Google Mapsan application that almost everyone has on their mobile. The Google platform includes from 2021 a Information layer on forest fires It can be very useful.
It is available both in the app and in the web version and access it by clicking or clicking on the icon of Layers and selecting Forest fires. Each fire will appear represented by a Red icon with flames And, by clicking or clicking on it, information about the event is accessed. When selected, the map goes to a satellite viewbut then you choose as a map type Predeterminedyou will return to the usual.
Google Maps organizes official and media information about active fires in a side panelthat opens to click or click on the icon of a fire and what Google calls Alert sheet.
This alert sheet shows first the Fire rating -Curiously, if it is serious it indicates it in Spanish and if it is not, use the term Forest fire Or sometimes Wildfirenext to the name of the location. It also indicates the Information source (satellites, for example), how much was updated and the estimated burnt surface.
Next, the color code used by Google on the map: in redactive fire; in yellowthe area surrounding the previous one and that is considered possibly active.
In the alert blade it is also included Help and information from local and regional authorities, with links to their publications on social networks such as X and Facebookas well as to its web pages.
Finally, there is a link of More news on Google which leads to a search with the latest news about the fire that is being consulted.
This information layer is part of the Google Maps alert system That, in addition to fires, it also includes other catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods and tropical storms, although none of them has a layer of information dedicated such as fires.
When Google deployed this functionality four years ago, which was then more basic, he said that the Forest fire alerts They would include aspects such as information on how fire, the area that covers and the pollution produced. This last aspect has not yet been included in Google Maps.
The Google tool once again demonstrates its usefulness with this fire layer, but one is in affected areas You must always resort to Official sources To know the latest information about the extension of the fire and the danger that involves. In some of the fires that Google Maps shows this Thursday, the data appears without updating until 19 hoursat the time of writing this article, at which time a fire can advance. Others, only minutes ago.