Fire near Limpopo (ZA)

24.47°S, 28.80°E · first detected on 21 October at 13:30

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 21 October at 13:30 to 22 October at 20:51, through 211 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 3,801 ha.

Detected extent: 3,801 ha
Cumulative power: 7,064 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 252 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 211
Estimated emissions: 878 t of carbon; Carbon burnt in the 0.1 degree cells (about 10 km) around the fire, from 21 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 4 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 02:05	28 MW	12	N21
23 October at 01:22	39 MW	43	N20
23 October at 01:01	56 MW	46	N
23 October at 00:33	43 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 00:33	32 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 00:22	78 MW	29	N21
23 October at 00:18	33 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 00:18	27 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 00:03	26 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 00:03	33 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 23:48	59 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 23:48	31 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 23:33	41 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 23:33	33 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 23:18	82 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 23:18	61 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 23:03	57 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 23:03	104 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:48	67 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 22:48	89 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:33	127 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:33	120 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:32	15 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:22	14 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:18	149 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:18	154 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:12	33 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 22:03	166 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:03	153 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:02	42 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 21:52	25 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:48	173 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 21:48	161 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 21:42	15 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:33	174 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 21:33	169 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 21:22	17 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:18	229 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 21:18	199 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 21:12	28 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:03	225 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 21:03	242 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 20:52	51 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:51	160 MW	8	Terra
22 October at 20:48	287 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 20:48	287 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 20:42	50 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 20:33	369 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 20:33	366 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 20:32	173 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 20:22	68 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:18	420 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 20:18	399 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 20:12	66 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:04	529 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 20:03	564 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 20:02	244 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 19:49	691 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 19:48	749 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 19:42	282 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 19:34	847 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 19:33	836 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 19:32	446 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 19:22	417 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 19:19	1,417 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 19:18	1,476 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 19:12	379 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 19:04	1,051 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 19:03	1,182 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 19:02	318 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 18:52	615 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 18:49	1,032 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:48	1,058 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 18:42	207 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 18:34	655 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:33	737 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 18:32	193 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 18:22	280 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 18:19	643 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:18	674 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 18:12	358 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 18:04	782 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:03	821 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 18:02	387 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 17:52	498 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 17:49	900 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 17:48	1,007 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 17:42	539 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 17:34	1,169 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 17:33	1,240 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 17:32	830 MW	11	Met12
22 October at 17:22	1,402 MW	11	Met12
22 October at 17:19	1,887 MW	10	Met9
22 October at 17:18	1,814 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 17:12	2,530 MW	12	Met12
22 October at 17:04	2,453 MW	11	Met9
22 October at 17:03	2,130 MW	8	Met10
22 October at 17:02	3,081 MW	14	Met12
22 October at 16:52	1,549 MW	14	Met12
22 October at 16:49	1,269 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 16:48	1,337 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 16:42	919 MW	15	Met12
22 October at 16:33	1,443 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 16:33	1,365 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 16:32	965 MW	14	Met12
22 October at 16:22	830 MW	10	Met12
22 October at 16:18	1,586 MW	8	Met10
22 October at 16:18	1,381 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 16:14	1,488 MW	22	Aqua
22 October at 16:12	1,194 MW	11	Met12
22 October at 16:03	1,706 MW	8	Met10
22 October at 16:03	1,657 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 16:02	1,675 MW	18	Met12
22 October at 15:52	1,393 MW	14	Met12
22 October at 15:48	1,684 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 15:48	1,700 MW	9	Met9
22 October at 15:42	1,438 MW	16	Met12
22 October at 15:33	1,169 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 15:33	2,187 MW	8	Met10
22 October at 15:32	1,932 MW	17	Met12
22 October at 15:22	2,048 MW	16	Met12
22 October at 15:18	1,726 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 15:18	1,623 MW	9	Met9
22 October at 15:12	1,623 MW	18	Met12
22 October at 15:03	1,522 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 15:03	1,466 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 15:02	1,675 MW	16	Met12
22 October at 14:52	2,539 MW	16	Met12
22 October at 14:48	1,464 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 14:48	2,055 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 14:42	2,160 MW	15	Met12
22 October at 14:33	1,443 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 14:33	1,532 MW	9	Met9
22 October at 14:32	1,346 MW	17	Met12
22 October at 14:22	1,331 MW	17	Met12
22 October at 14:18	1,796 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 14:18	1,575 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 14:12	1,298 MW	17	Met12
22 October at 14:08	1,505 MW	65	N20
22 October at 14:03	1,829 MW	9	Met9
22 October at 14:03	1,638 MW	9	Met10
22 October at 14:02	1,469 MW	18	Met12
22 October at 13:52	1,796 MW	17	Met12
22 October at 13:49	1,415 MW	48	N
22 October at 13:48	1,661 MW	9	Met9
22 October at 13:48	1,387 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 13:42	1,903 MW	15	Met12
22 October at 13:33	1,507 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 13:33	1,816 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 13:32	1,392 MW	16	Met12
22 October at 13:22	1,421 MW	14	Met12
22 October at 13:18	1,327 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 13:18	1,339 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 13:12	1,496 MW	13	Met12
22 October at 13:10	2,156 MW	37	N21
22 October at 13:03	1,374 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 13:03	1,288 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 13:02	1,627 MW	12	Met12
22 October at 12:52	890 MW	11	Met12
22 October at 12:48	1,141 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 12:48	1,281 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 12:42	1,178 MW	12	Met12
22 October at 12:33	1,413 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 12:33	1,327 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 12:32	1,766 MW	13	Met12
22 October at 12:22	523 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 12:18	458 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 12:18	501 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 12:12	511 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 12:03	300 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 12:03	245 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 12:02	206 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 11:52	277 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 11:48	369 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 11:48	438 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 11:42	309 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 11:33	313 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 11:33	221 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 11:32	228 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 11:22	214 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 11:18	265 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 11:18	190 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 11:12	193 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 11:03	286 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 11:03	194 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 11:02	150 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 10:52	135 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 10:48	204 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 10:48	173 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 10:42	123 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 10:33	289 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 10:33	208 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 10:32	139 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 10:22	70 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 10:18	252 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 10:18	190 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 10:12	111 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 10:03	45 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 10:03	81 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 10:02	48 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:52	56 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 09:48	45 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 09:42	33 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:33	46 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 09:33	86 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 09:32	51 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 09:22	58 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 09:18	102 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 09:18	99 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 09:12	48 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:03	41 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 09:02	40 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 08:52	41 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 08:44	38 MW	2	Terra
22 October at 08:42	31 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 08:32	16 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 08:22	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 08:12	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 01:39	7 MW	4	N20
22 October at 01:20	10 MW	8	N
22 October at 00:44	10 MW	4	N21
21 October at 23:52	11 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 23:42	17 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 23:33	28 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 23:33	22 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 23:32	42 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 23:18	19 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 23:18	17 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 22:42	11 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 22:33	15 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 20:32	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 20:18	38 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 20:04	51 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 20:03	63 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 20:02	26 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 19:52	40 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 19:49	60 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:48	64 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 19:42	18 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 19:34	71 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:33	88 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 19:32	47 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 19:22	40 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 19:19	105 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:18	165 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 19:12	33 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 19:04	78 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 19:03	124 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 19:02	46 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 18:52	58 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 18:49	57 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 18:48	63 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 18:42	21 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 18:34	60 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 18:33	62 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 18:32	18 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 18:22	30 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 18:19	30 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 18:12	29 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 18:04	27 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 18:02	35 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 17:52	87 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 17:49	32 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 17:48	37 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 17:42	45 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 17:34	56 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 17:33	44 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 17:32	55 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 17:22	41 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 17:19	68 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 17:18	48 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 17:12	94 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 17:04	75 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 17:03	89 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 17:02	66 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:52	74 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:49	99 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 16:48	55 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 16:42	75 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:33	152 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 16:33	163 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 16:32	104 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 16:22	102 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:18	163 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 16:18	199 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 16:12	75 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:03	206 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 16:03	202 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 16:02	199 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 15:52	232 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 15:48	328 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 15:48	288 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 15:42	174 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 15:33	60 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 15:32	88 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 15:22	99 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 14:06	133 MW	6	N
21 October at 13:42	66 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 13:30	144 MW	7	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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