Fire near Sofala (MZ)

18.48°S, 33.98°E · first detected on 3 October at 12:28

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 3 October at 12:28 to 22 October at 16:16, that is 19 days, through 64,014 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 1,046,911 ha.

Detected extent: 1,046,911 ha
Cumulative power: 646,361 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 474 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 64,014
Estimated emissions: 6.7 kt of carbon; Carbon burnt in the 0.1 degree cells (about 10 km) around the fire, from 5 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.

The detected extent

Outline of the burned area near Sofala (MZ), drawn over satellite imagery — The outline is the union of the ground footprints of every satellite detection of this fire, from the first pass to the last. The background is the EOX cloudless Sentinel-2 mosaic, 2024 vintage: it shows the landscape BEFORE these fires, not the burn scar.

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 22 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	1 MW	1	N21
22 October at 19:52	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:42	16 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 17:12	27 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 17:04	31 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 17:02	25 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 16:52	50 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 16:32	112 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 16:22	189 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 16:19	458 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 16:19	97 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 16:16	121 MW	2	Aqua
22 October at 16:12	125 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 16:04	38 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 16:04	159 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 16:02	190 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 15:52	58 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 15:49	26 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 15:42	28 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 15:34	33 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 15:32	30 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 15:22	34 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 15:12	58 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 15:02	96 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:52	81 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 14:42	93 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 14:34	148 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 14:32	275 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:22	86 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 14:19	158 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 14:12	107 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 14:08	711 MW	115	N20
22 October at 14:04	195 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 14:04	405 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 14:02	281 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 13:52	429 MW	13	Met12
22 October at 13:49	1,203 MW	121	N
22 October at 13:49	705 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 13:49	360 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:42	363 MW	12	Met12
22 October at 13:34	332 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:34	375 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 13:32	292 MW	9	Met12
22 October at 13:22	257 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 13:19	142 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 13:13	910 MW	90	N21
22 October at 13:12	91 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 13:04	139 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 13:02	84 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 12:52	116 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 12:42	161 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 12:34	68 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 12:32	95 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 12:22	117 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 12:19	149 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 12:19	153 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 12:12	134 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 12:02	31 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 11:52	64 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 11:03	78 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 11:02	35 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:12	13 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 16:42	37 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 15:42	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 15:40	71 MW	9	Aqua
21 October at 15:12	35 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 15:02	11 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 14:42	25 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 14:32	22 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 14:27	17 MW	2	N20
21 October at 14:12	23 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 14:08	263 MW	48	N
21 October at 14:04	39 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 14:02	38 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 13:52	14 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 13:42	26 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 13:34	118 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 13:32	109 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 13:32	600 MW	102	N21
21 October at 13:19	41 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 13:12	26 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 12:45	191 MW	47	N20
21 October at 12:42	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 12:22	24 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 11:22	55 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 11:12	18 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 11:02	31 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 10:52	13 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:22	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:12	33 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 10:03	43 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 10:03	47 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 10:02	41 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:22	10 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 16:42	22 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:22	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 16:12	87 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 16:02	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 15:52	70 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 15:49	85 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 15:42	156 MW	9	Met12
20 October at 15:34	36 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 15:32	25 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:22	47 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 15:12	55 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 15:04	69 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 15:02	141 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 14:59	98 MW	2	Aqua
20 October at 14:52	186 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 14:49	93 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 14:42	152 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 14:34	70 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 14:32	158 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 14:25	382 MW	54	N
20 October at 14:22	175 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 14:19	173 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 14:12	240 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 14:04	100 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 14:02	160 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 13:52	320 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 13:49	67 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 13:49	1,472 MW	180	N21
20 October at 13:42	251 MW	13	Met12
20 October at 13:34	72 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 13:32	396 MW	21	Met12
20 October at 13:22	179 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 13:19	153 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 13:12	203 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 13:06	1,739 MW	233	N20
20 October at 13:04	50 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 13:02	253 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 12:52	274 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 12:49	171 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 12:45	1,094 MW	114	N
20 October at 12:42	160 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 12:34	52 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 12:32	181 MW	9	Met12
20 October at 12:22	251 MW	13	Met12
20 October at 12:19	115 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 12:12	486 MW	15	Met12
20 October at 12:04	250 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 12:04	525 MW	7	Met9
20 October at 12:02	496 MW	17	Met12
20 October at 11:52	128 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 11:49	76 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 11:49	123 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 11:42	41 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 11:32	77 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 11:22	109 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 11:19	86 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 11:12	88 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 11:02	17 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 10:52	16 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 10:42	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 10:32	53 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 10:22	34 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 10:12	45 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 10:02	18 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 09:52	75 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 09:48	102 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 09:48	67 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 09:42	105 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 09:34	50 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 08:52	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 01:20	3 MW	2	N21
20 October at 00:35	4 MW	2	N20
19 October at 20:34	23 MW	3	Terra
19 October at 15:59	107 MW	6	Aqua
19 October at 14:08	739 MW	73	N21
19 October at 13:23	846 MW	104	N20
19 October at 13:05	778 MW	109	N
19 October at 12:28	348 MW	38	N21
18 October at 15:23	209 MW	14	Aqua
18 October at 13:45	697 MW	75	N20
18 October at 13:23	976 MW	87	N
18 October at 12:45	531 MW	83	N21
18 October at 01:14	1 MW	1	N20
18 October at 00:16	1 MW	1	N21
17 October at 14:02	772 MW	142	N20
17 October at 13:42	1,234 MW	132	N
17 October at 13:06	903 MW	94	N21
17 October at 01:31	2 MW	2	N20
17 October at 01:12	2 MW	2	N
16 October at 20:15	9 MW	1	Terra
16 October at 15:44	389 MW	37	Aqua
16 October at 14:21	404 MW	63	N20
16 October at 14:02	1,211 MW	182	N
16 October at 13:23	1,240 MW	152	N21
16 October at 12:41	1,109 MW	134	N20
16 October at 00:10	1 MW	1	N20
15 October at 15:06	28 MW	1	Aqua
15 October at 14:19	529 MW	93	N
15 October at 13:45	1,394 MW	199	N21
15 October at 13:00	1,025 MW	155	N20
15 October at 12:41	449 MW	42	N
14 October at 16:08	219 MW	8	Aqua
14 October at 14:02	1,641 MW	211	N21
14 October at 13:17	1,998 MW	254	N20
14 October at 12:58	1,159 MW	234	N
14 October at 12:21	18 MW	2	N21
13 October at 15:29	581 MW	49	Aqua
13 October at 14:21	32 MW	5	N21
13 October at 13:38	1,449 MW	262	N20
12 October at 13:00	1,431 MW	179	N21
11 October at 15:53	265 MW	18	Aqua
11 October at 14:14	331 MW	51	N20
11 October at 13:55	734 MW	114	N
11 October at 13:17	840 MW	123	N21
11 October at 12:34	150 MW	15	N20
10 October at 15:14	1,111 MW	30	Aqua
10 October at 14:14	881 MW	180	N
10 October at 13:38	1,432 MW	202	N21
10 October at 12:53	880 MW	185	N20
9 October at 14:32	164 MW	16	N
9 October at 13:55	753 MW	115	N21
9 October at 13:10	971 MW	136	N20
9 October at 12:51	547 MW	96	N
8 October at 15:38	143 MW	19	Aqua
8 October at 14:14	219 MW	14	N21
8 October at 13:32	78 MW	24	N20
8 October at 13:13	94 MW	11	N
7 October at 14:59	51 MW	1	Aqua
7 October at 13:49	198 MW	48	N20
7 October at 13:30	276 MW	58	N
7 October at 12:53	232 MW	29	N21
6 October at 14:08	3 MW	1	N20
6 October at 13:49	8 MW	1	N
6 October at 13:13	66 MW	4	N21
3 October at 13:23	6 MW	1	N20

8 other fires near Sofala (MZ)

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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