A method of detecting a small area wildfire is described. The method includes: (i) receiving, at a processor, an electronic map of an area of interest; (ii) receiving, at the processor from a satellite, location information for a high-altitude balloon disposed above the area of interest; (iii) determining, using the processor and based one or more different types of sensor data that is received from one or more different types of sensors on the high-altitude balloon and the high-altitude balloon location, one or more wildfire locations; (iv) embedding each of the wildfire locations on the electronic map to produce a fire activity map; and (v) causing to display or displaying the fire activity map including the wildfire locations within the area of interest.