Fire near Limpopo (ZA)

24.30°S, 29.09°E · first detected on 20 October at 12:32

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 20 October at 12:32 to 22 October at 20:51, that is 2 days, through 210 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 3,558 ha.

Detected extent: 3,558 ha
Cumulative power: 2,858 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 130 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 210
Estimated emissions: 9.5 kt of carbon; Carbon burnt in the 0.1 degree cells (about 10 km) around the fire, from 20 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 5 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 03:48	40 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 03:33	39 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 03:33	44 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 03:18	42 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 03:03	38 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 02:33	65 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 02:33	39 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 02:18	39 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 02:05	132 MW	33	N21
23 October at 02:03	37 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 02:03	42 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 01:42	12 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 01:33	109 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 01:22	12 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 01:22	101 MW	46	N20
23 October at 01:18	114 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 01:18	58 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 01:03	59 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 01:03	78 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 01:02	10 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 01:01	91 MW	45	N
23 October at 00:52	13 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 00:48	60 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 00:48	72 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 00:33	113 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 00:33	64 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 00:22	108 MW	39	N21
23 October at 00:18	108 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 00:18	96 MW	3	Met9
23 October at 00:12	13 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 00:03	159 MW	4	Met10
23 October at 00:03	128 MW	4	Met9
23 October at 00:02	18 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:52	19 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:48	201 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 23:48	239 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 23:42	36 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 23:33	104 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 23:33	155 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 23:22	36 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 23:18	121 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 23:18	147 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 23:03	113 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 23:03	131 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 22:52	16 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:48	209 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:48	181 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:33	205 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:33	230 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:32	26 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:18	309 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:18	273 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:03	275 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:03	243 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:02	39 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:52	44 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:48	345 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:48	321 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 21:42	44 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:33	231 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:33	186 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 21:18	193 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:18	132 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:12	24 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:03	197 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 21:03	133 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 20:51	100 MW	6	Terra
22 October at 20:48	149 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 20:48	166 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 20:42	40 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:33	194 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 20:33	133 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 20:18	77 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 20:18	129 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 20:04	179 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 20:03	169 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 19:52	14 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:49	149 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 19:48	140 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 19:42	17 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:34	171 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 19:33	133 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 19:32	18 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:19	185 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 19:18	132 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 19:04	213 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 19:03	143 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 19:02	25 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:52	26 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:49	204 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 18:48	143 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 18:42	30 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:34	207 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 18:33	205 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 18:32	54 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 18:22	61 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 18:19	208 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 18:18	156 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 18:12	72 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 18:04	239 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 18:03	156 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 18:02	56 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 17:52	139 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 17:49	258 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 17:48	204 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 17:42	119 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 17:34	317 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 17:33	261 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 17:32	71 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 17:22	39 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 17:19	289 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 17:18	200 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 17:12	79 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 17:04	269 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 17:03	277 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 17:02	48 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 16:52	108 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 16:49	324 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 16:48	287 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 16:42	48 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 16:33	350 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 16:33	297 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 16:32	107 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 16:22	200 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 16:18	466 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 16:18	441 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:14	438 MW	15	Aqua
22 October at 16:12	392 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 16:03	448 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:03	446 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 16:02	273 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 15:52	530 MW	10	Met12
22 October at 15:48	616 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 15:48	595 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 15:42	227 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 15:33	264 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 15:33	250 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 15:32	291 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 15:22	176 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 15:18	253 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 15:18	270 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 15:12	160 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 15:03	375 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 15:03	371 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 15:02	324 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 14:52	163 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 14:48	213 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 14:48	148 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 14:42	93 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 14:33	99 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 14:33	232 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 14:32	110 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 14:22	624 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:18	555 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:18	600 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 14:12	523 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 14:08	532 MW	23	N20
22 October at 14:03	623 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:03	707 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 14:02	573 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 13:52	430 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:48	260 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 13:48	273 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:47	322 MW	20	N
22 October at 13:42	124 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 13:33	367 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:33	403 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 13:32	176 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 13:22	182 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 13:18	291 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 13:18	382 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:12	142 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 13:10	185 MW	12	N21
22 October at 13:03	59 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 13:03	132 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 13:02	52 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 12:52	24 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:48	62 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 12:48	119 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 12:42	30 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:33	78 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 12:33	141 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 12:32	44 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:22	340 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 12:18	171 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 12:18	352 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 12:12	131 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 12:03	173 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 12:03	263 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 12:02	91 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 11:48	130 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 11:42	30 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 11:33	50 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 11:03	44 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 10:33	42 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 10:18	47 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 10:03	44 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 09:33	38 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 09:22	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 09:18	35 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 09:03	39 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 09:02	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 08:44	10 MW	1	Terra
22 October at 04:48	37 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 04:33	74 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 04:18	35 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 04:18	83 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 04:09	58 MW	2	Aqua
22 October at 04:03	84 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 04:03	79 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 03:52	18 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 03:48	85 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 03:48	130 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 03:42	24 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 03:33	102 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 03:33	184 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 02:18	34 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 02:18	70 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 02:03	34 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 02:03	79 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 02:02	10 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 01:39	75 MW	17	N20
22 October at 01:20	36 MW	16	N
22 October at 01:03	57 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 00:48	64 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 00:44	39 MW	11	N21
21 October at 21:03	31 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 20:33	48 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 20:33	39 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 20:19	29 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 20:12	13 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 19:49	72 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:34	76 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:32	43 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 19:19	28 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 19:04	30 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 17:42	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 17:34	36 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 17:33	85 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 17:32	64 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 17:22	81 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 17:19	36 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 17:18	78 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 17:12	31 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 17:04	19 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 17:02	38 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 16:32	23 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 16:22	22 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 16:12	23 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 16:02	48 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 15:52	24 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 15:42	16 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 15:38	21 MW	1	Aqua
21 October at 14:06	66 MW	7	N
21 October at 13:30	52 MW	9	N21
21 October at 12:12	44 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 11:02	18 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:52	20 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:42	60 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 10:32	16 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:12	16 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:03	156 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 10:02	90 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 09:52	17 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 09:42	26 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 09:32	32 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 09:22	20 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 09:18	70 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 09:18	155 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 09:12	62 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 04:32	90 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 03:42	11 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 03:32	26 MW	1	Aqua
21 October at 03:22	42 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 03:12	16 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 03:02	61 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 02:52	86 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 02:12	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 02:02	13 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 01:58	46 MW	6	N20
21 October at 01:39	81 MW	16	N
21 October at 01:01	20 MW	8	N21
21 October at 00:22	15 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 00:18	6 MW	3	N20
20 October at 22:52	34 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 22:42	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 22:22	15 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 22:12	28 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 22:02	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:52	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:13	14 MW	1	Terra
20 October at 20:12	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 19:52	10 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 19:42	44 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 19:32	14 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 19:12	55 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 19:02	72 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 18:42	136 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 18:32	26 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 18:22	89 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 18:12	83 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 18:02	33 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:52	46 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:42	24 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:32	23 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:22	35 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:12	29 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:02	31 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:52	29 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:42	35 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:32	59 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:22	74 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:12	106 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:03	66 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 16:02	128 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 15:52	51 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:48	29 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 15:42	40 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:33	29 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 15:32	46 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:22	50 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:18	32 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 15:18	32 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 15:12	36 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:03	31 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 15:02	49 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 14:52	52 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 14:48	36 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 14:44	66 MW	7	N20
20 October at 14:42	37 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 14:33	62 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 14:33	55 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 14:32	75 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 14:25	600 MW	20	N
20 October at 14:22	227 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 14:18	170 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 14:18	214 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 14:12	274 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 14:03	59 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 14:03	55 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 14:02	62 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 13:52	75 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 13:47	59 MW	7	N21
20 October at 13:42	38 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 13:04	7 MW	1	N20
20 October at 12:52	95 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 12:42	325 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 12:32	89 MW	4	Met12

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.

Follow live

The map shows active fires in 3D, with smoke plumes, forecast wind, drop zones and the live position of water bombers tracked by ADS-B, anywhere in the world.

Open the fire map

Take the data of this fire with you

A ready-to-use archive, paid once, no subscription. It contains:

the satellite detections of the fire
the contours of its progression
the drops and the aircraft tracks
the lightning around it
the severity of the burned area, when computed

From €20.00 excl. VAT, six formats to choose from, link valid for 30 days.

Download the data

Pro subscribers: included. €49 excl. VAT a month, no commitment. The public map stays free. Discover GISFire Pro

© 2026 SARO · Gistin. All rights reserved. The interface, its presentation and the contents of GISFire are protected; reproducing or imitating them requires written permission. The source data remain the property of their respective producers, see the credits.

Legal notice · Privacy policy · · GISFire v2.4.2