diff --git a/src/data/firmsInteraction.test.mjs b/src/data/firmsInteraction.test.mjs
index d735df3f8..39f0382c8 100644
--- a/src/data/firmsInteraction.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/firmsInteraction.test.mjs
@@ -392,3 +392,78 @@ test('disable cancels a pending source and a late response cannot repopulate the
     assert.equal(h.layer.getStats().loading, false);
   } finally { h.layer.destroy(h.viewer); h.cleanup(); }
 });
+
+test('far zoom drapes one heatmap and draws no rectangles; markers and disable hide it', () => {
+  // A canvas stub for the heat drape and the detection glow sprites.
+  const priorDocument = globalThis.document;
+  const restoreDocument = () => {
+    if (priorDocument === undefined) delete globalThis.document;
+    else globalThis.document = priorDocument;
+  };
+  globalThis.document = {
+    createElement: () => ({
+      getContext: () => ({
+        createImageData: (w, hh) => ({
+          data: new Uint8ClampedArray(w * hh * 4),
+        }),
+        putImageData() {},
+        createRadialGradient: () => ({ addColorStop() {} }),
+        fillRect() {},
+      }),
+      toDataURL: () => 'data:image/png;base64,AAAA',
+    }),
+  };
+  const h = harness({
+    fires: [makeFire(), makeFire({ index: 8, lat: 30.6, lon: -98.3, frp: 12 })],
+    withDataSource: true,
+    cameraPosition: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-98, 30, 12_000_000),
+  });
+  const added = [];
+  const removed = [];
+  h.viewer.scene.primitives = {
+    add() {},
+    remove() {},
+    raiseToTop() {},
+    contains: () => true,
+  };
+  h.viewer.scene.frameState = { mode: Cesium.SceneMode.SCENE3D };
+  try {
+    const collection = {
+      addImageryProvider: (provider) => {
+        const layer = { provider, show: true };
+        added.push(layer);
+        return layer;
+      },
+      remove: (layer, destroy) => removed.push({ layer, destroy }),
+      raiseToTop() {},
+    };
+    h.layer.attachShellServices({
+      imageryHost: () => ({ kind: 'globe', collection }),
+    });
+    h.layer._renderLodForTest('global');
+    assert.equal(added.length, 1, 'one heat imagery layer');
+    assert.equal(added[0].show, true);
+    assert.equal(h.layer._entityCountForTest(), 0, 'no rectangle entities');
+    assert.ok(h.published.length > 0, 'the far band still paints cards');
+
+    h.layer._renderLodForTest('regional');
+    assert.equal(added.length, 1, 'switching far bands reuses the raster');
+
+    h.layer._renderLodForTest('close');
+    assert.equal(added[0].show, false, 'the markers band hides the heatmap');
+
+    h.layer._renderLodForTest('global');
+    assert.equal(added[0].show, true);
+    h.layer.disable();
+    assert.equal(added[0].show, false, 'disable hides the heatmap');
+
+    h.layer.destroy(h.viewer);
+    assert.deepEqual(
+      removed.map((entry) => [entry.layer, entry.destroy]),
+      [[added[0], true]],
+    );
+  } finally {
+    h.cleanup();
+    restoreDocument();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/heatImagery.js b/src/layers/firms/heatImagery.js
index f2f99fbe6..31fbf1f69 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/heatImagery.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/heatImagery.js
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ export function createHeatImagery({
       raster = next;
       attach();
     },
+    /** True once a raster was handed over (painted or waiting for a host). */
+    hasRaster() {
+      return raster !== null;
+    },
     setShow(value) {
       show = Boolean(value);
       if (layer) layer.show = show;
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/ingestion.js b/src/layers/firms/ingestion.js
index 215c35da3..cb9dbd72f 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/ingestion.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/ingestion.js
@@ -89,14 +89,15 @@ export function createIngestion({
   /**
    * Run the intensity filter over the loaded payload. This is the ONE place
    * the shown set is derived: `_fires` / `_firesByFrp` feed markers, cards,
-   * heat cells, the context store, the top-fires query and the analyst
-   * records, so none of them can disagree about which fires exist. Cells are
-   * aggregated per shown set, so the cache goes with it.
+   * the heatmap, the context store, the top-fires query and the analyst
+   * records, so none of them can disagree about which fires exist. Cells and
+   * the heat raster are built per shown set, so their caches go with it.
    */
 
   function applyFilter() {
     layerState._fires = filterFires(layerState._allFires, layerState._filter);
     layerState._cellCacheByGrid.clear();
+    layerState._heatRaster = null;
     layerState._firesByFrp = filterFires(
       layerState._allFiresByFrp,
       layerState._filter,
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/lifecycle.js b/src/layers/firms/lifecycle.js
index 1138504dd..72434ad46 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/lifecycle.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/lifecycle.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { FIRMS_OVERLAY_SOURCE_ID } from '../../data/firmsLabels.js';
+import { LOD_LEVELS } from './policy.js';
 
 export function createLifecycle({
   layerState,
@@ -14,6 +15,20 @@ export function createLifecycle({
   const { id, overlayHost } = config;
 
   const methods = {
+    /**
+     * Shell services: `imageryHost()` resolves where draped imagery goes on
+     * the active map stack (globe or 3D tiles, src/maps/imageryHost.js). The
+     * heatmap moves with it; without a host it drapes on viewer.imageryLayers.
+     * @param {{imageryHost?: () => {collection: ?Object, kind: string}}|null} services
+     */
+    attachShellServices(services) {
+      layerState._imageryHost =
+        typeof services?.imageryHost === 'function'
+          ? services.imageryHost
+          : null;
+      layerState._heatImagery?.rehome();
+    },
+
     init(viewer) {
       if (layerState._destroyed) return;
       layerState._viewer = viewer;
@@ -40,6 +55,8 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         layerState._billboards.show = true;
       }
       overlayHost.setVisible(FIRMS_OVERLAY_SOURCE_ID, true);
+      if (LOD_LEVELS[layerState._currentLodIndex]?.mode === 'heat')
+        layerState._heatImagery?.setShow(true);
       components.viewport.installLodWatcher();
       components.viewport.installMoveEndWatcher();
       components.selection.installClickHandler();
@@ -64,6 +81,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       components.selection.clearFireSelection();
       if (layerState._dataSource) layerState._dataSource.show = false;
       if (layerState._billboards) layerState._billboards.show = false;
+      layerState._heatImagery?.setShow(false);
       overlayHost.clearSource(FIRMS_OVERLAY_SOURCE_ID);
       overlayHost.setVisible(FIRMS_OVERLAY_SOURCE_ID, false);
       clearSelectedEntityContextForLayer(id);
@@ -96,6 +114,12 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       layerState._fires = [];
       layerState._firesByFrp = [];
       layerState._cellCacheByGrid.clear();
+      clearTimeout(layerState._heatRebuildTimer);
+      layerState._heatRebuildTimer = null;
+      layerState._heatImagery?.destroy();
+      layerState._heatImagery = null;
+      layerState._heatRaster = null;
+      layerState._imageryHost = null;
       layerState._count = 0;
       layerState._totalCount = 0;
       layerState._rowControlsListener = null;
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/model.js b/src/layers/firms/model.js
index 83f573c98..c3d3be71a 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/model.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/model.js
@@ -136,36 +136,6 @@ export function createModel({
     );
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Severity stop for an aggregated heat cell from its heat-normalized score
-   * (density, night share and strongest FRP together). Cells say *where* it
-   * burns, so they stay on the warm end of the ramp — lime, amber, red — and
-   * read as one field instead of a per-cell mosaic; the cold stops belong to
-   * single detections, which say *how hard* each one burns.
-   * @param {number} normalized - 0..1 heat score (sqrt-normalized to the view).
-   * @returns {{name: string, minFrp: number, color: Cesium.Color}}
-   */
-
-  function cellColorStop(normalized) {
-    const name =
-      normalized > 0.72 ? 'red' : normalized > 0.42 ? 'amber' : 'lime';
-    return (
-      DETECTION_COLOR_STOPS.find((stop) => stop.name === name) ||
-      DETECTION_COLOR_STOPS[0]
-    );
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Fill color for an aggregated heat cell.
-   * @param {number} normalized - 0..1 heat score (see {@link cellColorStop}).
-   * @param {number} alpha - Fill alpha (heat-normalized by the caller).
-   * @returns {Cesium.Color}
-   */
-
-  function heatColor(normalized, alpha) {
-    return cellColorStop(normalized).color.withAlpha(alpha);
-  }
-
   /**
    * Pick a sprite color stop for one detection from its FRP on the shared ramp.
    * @param {Object} fire - Detection record.
@@ -432,8 +402,8 @@ export function createModel({
 
   /**
    * Card model for an aggregated heat cell, e.g. title "14 FIRES", detail
-   * "max 210 MW · new 3h". Accent comes from the candidate (heat-normalized
-   * score is only known at renderCells time). Exported for unit tests.
+   * "max 210 MW · new 3h". Accent comes from the candidate (renderHeat sets
+   * it with {@link cellCardAccent}). Exported for unit tests.
    * @param {{cell: Object, position: Cesium.Cartesian3, accent: string}} candidate
    * @param {number} nowMs - Current epoch milliseconds.
    * @returns {Object} firmsLabels entry.
@@ -494,14 +464,14 @@ export function createModel({
   }
 
   /**
-   * Cell card accent: the warm severity stop of the cell's heat score,
-   * mirroring heatColor.
-   * @param {number} normalized - 0..1 heat score.
+   * Cell card accent: the cell's strongest fire on the FRP ramp, the same
+   * color its markers take once the camera is close enough to show them.
+   * @param {{maxFrp?: number}} cell - Aggregated cell.
    * @returns {string} "r, g, b" accent string.
    */
 
-  function cellAccent(normalized) {
-    return accentForSeverity(cellColorStop(normalized).name);
+  function cellCardAccent(cell) {
+    return accentForSeverity(frpColorStop(cell?.maxFrp ?? 0).name);
   }
 
   /** Coordinate line like "30.512°N 75.831°E". */
@@ -607,8 +577,6 @@ export function createModel({
     boundsContainPoint,
     cellIntersectsBounds,
     heatScore,
-    heatColor,
-    cellColorStop,
     frpColorStop,
     detectionColorStop,
     frpPixelSize,
@@ -623,7 +591,7 @@ export function createModel({
     buildFireCard,
     buildCellCard,
     applyFirmsOverlayPolicy,
-    cellAccent,
+    cellCardAccent,
     formatLatLon,
     formatFrp,
     formatAge,
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/policy.js b/src/layers/firms/policy.js
index 18ea88238..eb235bc81 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/policy.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/policy.js
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 export const REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 600_000;
 
 /**
- * LOD bands keyed by camera height. `cells` bands render aggregated
- * ground-clamped heat rectangles; `detections` bands (< ~750km plus the
- * local band) render individual fire detections as glow-sprite billboards.
+ * LOD bands keyed by camera height. `heat` bands (above ~3,000 km) drape a
+ * Snap Map–style heatmap over the globe (firmsHeatRaster.js); their
+ * `gridDegrees` aggregation only feeds the "N FIRES" cards. `detections`
+ * bands render individual fire detections as glow-sprite billboards.
  * Labels in every band go through the shared screen-space greedy declutter
  * (hard cap MAX_AMBIENT_LABELS) — there are no per-band label knobs.
  */
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ export const LOD_LEVELS = [
   {
     id: 'global',
     minHeight: 9000000,
-    mode: 'cells',
+    mode: 'heat',
     gridDegrees: 2.0,
     maxCells: 1800,
     labelDistance: 12000000,
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ export const LOD_LEVELS = [
   {
     id: 'regional',
     minHeight: 3000000,
-    mode: 'cells',
+    mode: 'heat',
     gridDegrees: 1.0,
     maxCells: 3600,
     labelDistance: 8500000,
@@ -47,6 +48,25 @@ export const LOD_LEVELS = [
   },
 ];
 
+/**
+ * Global heat raster for the `heat` bands: ≈0.18° per pixel, Gaussian σ in
+ * pixels. Built once per data refresh or filter change, never per camera move.
+ */
+
+export const HEAT_RASTER = Object.freeze({
+  width: 2048,
+  height: 1024,
+  sigmaPx: 3,
+});
+
+/**
+ * Trailing delay before a stale heatmap is rebuilt while one is already on
+ * screen: a slider drag fires many filter changes, and a build plus PNG
+ * encode costs a few hundred milliseconds. The first paint is immediate.
+ */
+
+export const HEAT_REBUILD_MS = 150;
+
 export const LOD_CHECK_MS = 650;
 
 /** +/-10% hysteresis on LOD band edges so slow zooms don't thrash rebuilds. */
@@ -90,7 +110,7 @@ export const CULL_LIFT_THRESHOLD_M = 10;
 export const CULL_LIFT_M = 12;
 
 /**
- * Color stops shared by cell heat fills and detection glow sprites: the
+ * Color stops for detection glow sprites and card accents: the
  * six-stop cold → hot FRP ramp (firmsIntensity.js), coldest first, as Cesium
  * colors. Stop names key the glow-sprite cache and the card accents.
  */
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/queries.js b/src/layers/firms/queries.js
index 44ce8573d..797734597 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/queries.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/queries.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   sliderPositionForFrp,
 } from '../../data/firmsIntensity.js';
 import { formatNumber, t } from '../../i18n/index.js';
-import { REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS } from './policy.js';
+import { LOD_LEVELS, REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS } from './policy.js';
 
 /** Slider resolution: whole-percent positions along the log axis. */
 const SLIDER_STEPS = 1000;
@@ -309,6 +309,19 @@ export function createQueries({
       return result;
     },
 
+    /** Test seam: render one named LOD band against a near-global view. */
+    _renderLodForTest(lodId) {
+      const lod = LOD_LEVELS.find((level) => level.id === lodId);
+      if (lod.mode === 'detections')
+        components.rendering.renderDetections(lod, null);
+      else components.rendering.renderHeat(lod, null);
+    },
+
+    /** Test seam: entities drawn by the layer's data source. */
+    _entityCountForTest() {
+      return layerState._dataSource?.entities?.values?.length ?? 0;
+    },
+
     /** Test seam that binds the production click path and indexes. */
     _bindInteractionForTest(viewer, fires = []) {
       layerState._viewer = viewer;
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/rendering.js b/src/layers/firms/rendering.js
index 8ae445f91..84a6eed36 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/rendering.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/rendering.js
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { FIRMS_OVERLAY_SOURCE_ID } from '../../data/firmsLabels.js';
 import { horizonOccluder } from '../../data/iconOrientation.js';
-import { LOD_LEVELS, CONTEXT_TOP_N } from './policy.js';
+import { buildHeatRaster } from '../../data/firmsHeatRaster.js';
+import {
+  LOD_LEVELS,
+  CONTEXT_TOP_N,
+  HEAT_RASTER,
+  HEAT_REBUILD_MS,
+} from './policy.js';
+import { createHeatImagery } from './heatImagery.js';
 
 export function createRendering({
   layerState,
@@ -29,8 +36,11 @@ export function createRendering({
       !layerState._dataSource ||
       !layerState._fires.length ||
       !layerState._viewer
-    )
+    ) {
+      // A filter that leaves nothing shown must not leave the old heat behind.
+      if (!layerState._fires.length) layerState._heatImagery?.setShow(false);
       return false;
+    }
     const lodIndex = components.viewport.selectLodIndex(
       components.viewport.cameraHeight(),
     );
@@ -54,7 +64,7 @@ export function createRendering({
     if (lod.mode === 'detections') {
       renderDetections(lod, bounds);
     } else {
-      renderCells(aggregateFires(lod, bounds), lod, bounds);
+      renderHeat(lod, bounds);
     }
     return true;
   }
@@ -118,65 +128,89 @@ export function createRendering({
     return clipped;
   }
 
+  /** The heat imagery adapter, created on first use. */
+
+  function heatImagery() {
+    if (!layerState._heatImagery) {
+      layerState._heatImagery = createHeatImagery({
+        cesium: Cesium,
+        getHost: () =>
+          layerState._imageryHost?.() ?? {
+            collection: layerState._viewer?.imageryLayers ?? null,
+            kind: 'globe',
+          },
+      });
+    }
+    return layerState._heatImagery;
+  }
+
+  /** Build the heat raster from the shown set and drape it. */
+
+  function rebuildHeatRaster() {
+    clearTimeout(layerState._heatRebuildTimer);
+    layerState._heatRebuildTimer = null;
+    if (layerState._destroyed) return;
+    layerState._heatRaster = buildHeatRaster(layerState._fires, HEAT_RASTER);
+    heatImagery().setRaster(layerState._heatRaster);
+  }
+
   /**
-   * Render aggregated heat cells (global/regional bands) as ground-clamped
-   * rectangles. Cell labels do NOT live on the entities anymore — they go
-   * through the same unclamped, screen-space-decluttered label pipeline as
-   * detections (see {@link rebuildAmbientLabels}).
-   * @param {Array<Object>} cells - Aggregated cells, heat-sorted descending.
+   * Make sure the draped heatmap matches the shown set. The first paint is
+   * immediate; later rebuilds (filter drags, refreshes) trail by
+   * HEAT_REBUILD_MS and keep the previous heatmap on screen meanwhile.
+   */
+
+  function ensureHeatRaster() {
+    if (layerState._heatRaster) return;
+    if (!heatImagery().hasRaster()) {
+      rebuildHeatRaster();
+      return;
+    }
+    clearTimeout(layerState._heatRebuildTimer);
+    layerState._heatRebuildTimer = setTimeout(
+      rebuildHeatRaster,
+      HEAT_REBUILD_MS,
+    );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Far bands (global/regional): a Snap Map–style heatmap draped over the
+   * globe, transparent where nothing burns, plus the decluttered "N FIRES"
+   * cards from the coarse aggregation. No entities and no sprites are drawn;
+   * cards go through the same screen-space label pipeline as detections
+   * (see {@link rebuildAmbientLabels}).
    * @param {Object} lod - Active LOD descriptor.
    * @param {?Object} bounds - Padded view bounds in degrees, or null.
    */
 
-  function renderCells(cells, lod, bounds) {
+  function renderHeat(lod, bounds) {
     ensureDetectionCollections();
     layerState._dataSource.entities.removeAll();
     if (layerState._billboards) layerState._billboards.removeAll();
     layerState._pickIndexById.clear();
     layerState._cullPositions.length = 0;
-    layerState._cellCount = cells.length;
-    const maxScore = Math.max(1, ...cells.map(components.model.heatScore));
 
+    const imagery = heatImagery();
+    // The map stack may have changed since the last far render.
+    imagery.rehome();
+    ensureHeatRaster();
+    imagery.setShow(layerState._enabled);
+
+    const cells = aggregateFires(lod, bounds);
+    layerState._cellCount = cells.length;
     layerState._labelCandidates = [];
     layerState._labelLodDistance = lod.labelDistance;
 
+    // Cells arrive heat-sorted, so candidate order doubles as label priority.
     for (const cell of cells) {
-      const score = components.model.heatScore(cell);
-      const normalized = Math.min(1, Math.sqrt(score / maxScore));
-      const alpha = 0.16 + normalized * 0.5;
-      const color = components.model.heatColor(normalized, alpha);
       const centerLon = cell.lonCell + lod.gridDegrees / 2;
       const centerLat = cell.latCell + lod.gridDegrees / 2;
-      const position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(centerLon, centerLat, 0);
-
-      layerState._dataSource.entities.add({
-        rectangle: {
-          coordinates: Cesium.Rectangle.fromDegrees(
-            cell.lonCell,
-            cell.latCell,
-            cell.lonCell + lod.gridDegrees,
-            cell.latCell + lod.gridDegrees,
-          ),
-          material: new Cesium.ColorMaterialProperty(color),
-          heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,
-        },
-        position,
-        properties: {
-          count: cell.count,
-          intensity: score,
-          maxFrp: cell.maxFrp,
-          night: cell.night,
-        },
-      });
-
-      // Cells arrive heat-sorted, so candidate order doubles as label priority.
-      // Accent is resolved here because `normalized` only exists in this walk.
       layerState._labelCandidates.push({
-        position,
+        position: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(centerLon, centerLat, 0),
         cullPosition: components.model.cellCullPosition(centerLon, centerLat),
         fire: null,
         cell,
-        accent: components.model.cellAccent(normalized),
+        accent: components.model.cellCardAccent(cell),
       });
     }
 
@@ -202,6 +236,7 @@ export function createRendering({
    */
 
   function renderDetections(lod, bounds) {
+    layerState._heatImagery?.setShow(false);
     ensureDetectionCollections();
     layerState._dataSource.entities.removeAll();
     if (!layerState._billboards) return;
@@ -345,7 +380,7 @@ export function createRendering({
   return {
     renderCurrentLod,
     aggregateFires,
-    renderCells,
+    renderHeat,
     renderDetections,
     ensureDetectionCollections,
     removeDetectionCollections,
diff --git a/src/layers/firms/state.js b/src/layers/firms/state.js
index d84ee2026..9a0b031b2 100644
--- a/src/layers/firms/state.js
+++ b/src/layers/firms/state.js
@@ -131,6 +131,25 @@ export function createFirmsState({ services, config }) {
 
   layerState._cellCacheByGrid = new Map();
 
+  /**
+   * Heat raster for the far bands (firmsHeatRaster.js); null = stale, rebuilt
+   * on the next far render. Cleared with the cell cache on every new shown set.
+   */
+
+  layerState._heatRaster = null;
+
+  /** Pending debounced heat rebuild (see HEAT_REBUILD_MS). */
+
+  layerState._heatRebuildTimer = null;
+
+  /** Imagery adapter (heatImagery.js), created on the first far render. */
+
+  layerState._heatImagery = null;
+
+  /** Shell-provided imagery host resolver; falls back to viewer.imageryLayers. */
+
+  layerState._imageryHost = null;
+
   /** Camera idle snapshot so the throttled LOD check is ~free when parked. */
 
   layerState._camSnapValid = false;
diff --git a/src/ui/layerBindings.js b/src/ui/layerBindings.js
index fb8f29119..60128f8e0 100644
--- a/src/ui/layerBindings.js
+++ b/src/ui/layerBindings.js
@@ -141,6 +141,12 @@ export class LayerBindings {
       });
       this._weatherShellModules.push(layer);
     }
+    // Active Fires drapes its far-zoom heatmap on the same imagery host.
+    const fires = this._dataManager?.layers?.get('local-firms')?.module;
+    if (typeof fires?.attachShellServices === 'function') {
+      fires.attachShellServices({ imageryHost: this.services.imageryHost });
+      this._weatherShellModules.push(fires);
+    }
   }
 
   _persistAwarenessSelection(event, cleared = false) {