Fire near Limpopo (ZA)

23.80°S, 31.02°E · first detected on 17 October at 20:51

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 17 October at 20:51 to 23 October at 00:22, that is 5 days, through 164 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 3,004 ha.

Detected extent: 3,004 ha
Cumulative power: 2,934 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 147 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 164
Estimated emissions: 519 t of carbon; Carbon burnt in the 0.1 degree cells (about 10 km) around the fire, from 17 October 2026 to 21 October 2026. An order-of-magnitude estimate from GFAS (ECMWF, Copernicus CAMS): it also counts neighbouring fires in the same cell. Contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information (2026). Published data stop on 21 October 2026.

These four figures cover the polar orbits alone, the ones that measure an area. The pass table below also counts geostationary detections, more frequent but too coarse for geometry, and its power column sums a whole pass where the peak above is that of a single pixel.

“Detected extent” is not “burned area”: it is the union of the ground footprints of the satellite pixels, and a pixel counts in full (375 m for VIIRS, 1 km for MODIS) even when only a forest edge is burning. Compared with press figures it is in practice one and a half to three times the area reported. Detections taken at the edge of the scan swath, too coarse to measure anything at all, are excluded. These figures come from thermal detection and are not an official assessment: only the emergency services and the competent authorities are authoritative.

Replay how the fire spread

The map is framed on this fire's footprint and loads only its detections. The timeline below covers the period in which satellites saw it, from the first to the last detection, with twelve hours before and twenty-four after; the ticks on the bar mark the emergency services' announcements that fall within it. The cursor opens on the most powerful pass, and playback replays the whole fire in about thirty seconds. “1 h” shows what is burning within an hour of the chosen moment : the map then follows the power curve below and empties when it falls. “24 h” stacks twenty-four hours : a fire stays visible between two satellite passes, which come two to four times a day. Both are true, but they say different things.

How the radiative power evolved

One point per satellite pass: the sum of the fire radiative power measured over the fire. This is the curve that says whether the fire eased off or picked up again, which no cumulative figure shows. The window covers 8 days; beyond that, clustering would merge two successive fires in the same place.

Fire dynamics

Loading history…

Satellite passes in detail

Pass	Power summed over the pass	Detections	Sensor
23 October at 00:22	2 MW	2	N21
22 October at 22:32	15 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:19	86 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 22:18	65 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 22:12	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:04	261 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:03	213 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:02	61 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 21:52	102 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 21:49	106 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:48	107 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 21:42	19 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:34	108 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:33	84 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 21:32	75 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 21:22	49 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 21:19	127 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:18	165 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:12	107 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 21:03	191 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:03	156 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 20:52	58 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 20:51	59 MW	3	Terra
22 October at 20:48	42 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 20:48	53 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 20:42	91 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 20:22	45 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 20:19	26 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 20:12	27 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:02	27 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 19:52	11 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:49	53 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 19:48	39 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 19:42	23 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 19:34	51 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 19:33	39 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 19:32	17 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:49	53 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 18:34	59 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 18:33	50 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 18:32	33 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 18:22	23 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:19	73 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 18:18	94 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 18:12	28 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 18:04	80 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 18:03	103 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 18:02	25 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 17:52	36 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 17:49	92 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 17:48	114 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 17:42	40 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 17:34	82 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 17:33	109 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 17:32	11 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 17:19	139 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 17:18	178 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 17:12	42 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 17:04	128 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 17:03	118 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 17:02	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 16:52	43 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 16:49	290 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 16:48	335 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:42	103 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 16:34	358 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:33	396 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:32	178 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 16:22	271 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 16:19	267 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 16:18	33 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 16:18	315 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:14	355 MW	10	Aqua
22 October at 16:12	80 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 16:03	331 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:03	297 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 16:02	145 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 15:52	325 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 15:48	398 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 15:48	438 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:42	449 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 15:33	881 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:33	823 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 15:32	590 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 15:22	243 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 15:18	421 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:18	297 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 15:12	240 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 15:03	576 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 15:03	622 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:02	413 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:52	219 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:48	321 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:48	268 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 14:42	379 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:33	725 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 14:33	778 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:32	395 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:22	213 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 14:18	397 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:18	69 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 14:12	899 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 14:08	1,102 MW	20	N20
22 October at 14:03	908 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:03	1,223 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 14:02	781 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 13:52	177 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:48	479 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 13:48	482 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 13:47	438 MW	18	N
22 October at 13:42	124 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 13:33	254 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 13:33	188 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 13:32	145 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 13:22	110 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 13:18	84 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 13:18	247 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 13:12	221 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:10	263 MW	16	N21
22 October at 13:03	362 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 13:03	443 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 13:02	353 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 12:52	450 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 12:48	436 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 12:48	561 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 12:42	796 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 12:33	491 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 12:33	555 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 12:32	375 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 12:22	522 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 12:18	1,086 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 12:18	849 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 12:12	640 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 12:03	849 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 12:03	637 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 12:02	556 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 11:52	233 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 11:48	450 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 11:48	410 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 11:42	477 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 11:33	257 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 11:33	383 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 11:32	177 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 11:22	244 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 11:18	47 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 11:18	55 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 11:12	446 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 11:03	328 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 11:03	223 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 11:02	207 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 10:52	161 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 10:48	145 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 10:48	158 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 10:42	116 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 10:32	55 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 10:22	17 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 10:12	61 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 10:02	43 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:52	55 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 09:48	35 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 09:42	45 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:12	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 09:02	76 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 08:52	70 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 08:48	80 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 08:48	86 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 08:44	147 MW	4	Terra
22 October at 08:42	57 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 08:32	59 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 08:22	58 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 08:12	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 08:03	32 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 08:03	40 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 08:02	44 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 07:52	133 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 07:48	248 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 07:48	274 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 07:42	110 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 07:33	220 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 07:33	246 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 07:32	174 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 07:22	42 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 07:18	46 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 07:18	42 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 07:12	50 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 07:02	23 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 06:52	24 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 01:39	4 MW	1	N20
22 October at 01:20	3 MW	1	N
22 October at 00:44	1 MW	1	N21
20 October at 01:58	8 MW	5	N
20 October at 01:20	21 MW	7	N21
20 October at 00:37	30 MW	3	N20
19 October at 15:59	15 MW	2	Aqua
19 October at 14:44	40 MW	6	N
19 October at 14:08	54 MW	6	N21
19 October at 13:23	65 MW	5	N20
19 October at 13:04	36 MW	6	N
19 October at 08:27	7 MW	1	Terra
19 October at 01:39	2 MW	1	N21
19 October at 00:57	6 MW	4	N20
18 October at 15:23	56 MW	1	Aqua
18 October at 14:25	11 MW	2	N21
18 October at 13:42	43 MW	4	N20
18 October at 13:21	34 MW	5	N
18 October at 12:45	61 MW	6	N21
18 October at 03:15	6 MW	1	Aqua
18 October at 01:58	3 MW	2	N21
18 October at 01:14	32 MW	9	N20
18 October at 00:57	10 MW	6	N
18 October at 00:18	10 MW	4	N21
17 October at 20:51	12 MW	2	Terra
16 October at 01:52	3 MW	2	N20
16 October at 01:31	2 MW	1	N
16 October at 00:57	3 MW	2	N21

8 other fires near Limpopo (ZA)

Separate fires, apart in time or in space, not pieces of this one. A single municipality can have several over one summer, and a forest massif often covers more than a hundred square kilometres.

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