Fire near Mashonaland occidental (ZW)

16.26°S, 29.73°E · first detected on 22 September at 13:13

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 22 September at 13:13 to 22 October at 01:37, that is at least 30 days: the clustering window stops there, and the fire or heat source may be older, through 4,495 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 54,871 ha.

Detected extent: 54,871 ha
Cumulative power: 31,396 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 218 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 4,495
Estimated emissions: 1.0 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).

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 30 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
22 October at 10:42	41 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 10:32	46 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 10:22	56 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 10:12	34 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:52	95 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 09:42	26 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 01:37	21 MW	12	N20
22 October at 01:18	36 MW	17	N
21 October at 21:42	15 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 16:32	22 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 15:32	36 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 14:27	68 MW	12	N20
21 October at 14:08	68 MW	9	N
21 October at 13:32	77 MW	9	N21
21 October at 13:32	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 13:22	11 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 12:22	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:52	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 06:02	10 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 01:56	6 MW	4	N20
21 October at 01:36	24 MW	8	N
21 October at 00:59	3 MW	1	N21
20 October at 17:02	40 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:42	99 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 15:32	34 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:22	18 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 15:19	64 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 15:12	28 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 15:02	41 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 14:52	46 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 14:42	113 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 14:34	40 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 14:32	118 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 14:27	23 MW	6	N
20 October at 14:22	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 14:12	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 14:04	77 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 14:02	74 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 13:52	96 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 13:49	175 MW	15	N21
20 October at 13:42	26 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 13:22	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 13:12	33 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 13:06	86 MW	19	N20
20 October at 13:02	10 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 12:52	16 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 12:42	27 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 12:34	43 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 12:32	62 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 12:22	41 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 12:19	43 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 12:19	50 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 12:12	27 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 12:04	39 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 12:02	71 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 11:52	18 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 11:42	54 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 11:34	54 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 11:34	38 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 11:32	26 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 11:22	28 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 11:19	102 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 11:19	121 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 11:12	54 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 11:02	40 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 10:52	62 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 10:02	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 09:52	58 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 08:52	10 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 02:16	1 MW	1	N20
20 October at 01:56	5 MW	4	N
20 October at 01:18	12 MW	8	N21
20 October at 00:33	2 MW	1	N20
19 October at 16:52	18 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 16:42	24 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 16:32	24 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 16:01	16 MW	1	Aqua
19 October at 15:32	16 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 15:22	48 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 15:12	55 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 15:02	32 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 14:52	11 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 14:46	72 MW	8	N
19 October at 14:42	32 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 14:10	256 MW	25	N21
19 October at 14:02	102 MW	5	Met12
19 October at 13:52	85 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 13:49	49 MW	1	Met10
19 October at 13:49	39 MW	1	Met9
19 October at 13:42	85 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 13:32	50 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 13:25	216 MW	24	N20
19 October at 13:06	97 MW	16	N
19 October at 13:02	44 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 12:22	14 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 12:12	67 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 11:22	16 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 10:52	10 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 10:42	78 MW	4	Met12
19 October at 08:25	17 MW	2	Terra
19 October at 02:13	1 MW	1	N
19 October at 01:37	13 MW	6	N21
19 October at 00:54	9 MW	7	N20
19 October at 00:33	4 MW	4	N
18 October at 14:27	46 MW	3	N21
18 October at 13:45	83 MW	10	N20
18 October at 13:23	64 MW	8	N
18 October at 12:47	16 MW	3	N21
18 October at 01:56	9 MW	5	N21
18 October at 01:12	2 MW	3	N20
17 October at 14:04	263 MW	36	N20
17 October at 13:45	254 MW	33	N
17 October at 13:06	262 MW	27	N21
17 October at 08:44	20 MW	2	Terra
17 October at 01:31	22 MW	13	N20
17 October at 01:12	14 MW	6	N
17 October at 00:33	3 MW	3	N21
16 October at 15:44	8 MW	1	Aqua
16 October at 14:21	66 MW	15	N20
16 October at 14:02	307 MW	28	N
16 October at 13:25	249 MW	23	N21
16 October at 01:50	19 MW	13	N20
16 October at 01:29	14 MW	19	N
16 October at 00:54	15 MW	10	N21
15 October at 14:40	107 MW	11	N20
15 October at 14:21	298 MW	31	N
15 October at 13:45	306 MW	25	N21
15 October at 13:00	65 MW	14	N20
15 October at 02:09	12 MW	8	N20
15 October at 01:50	15 MW	11	N
15 October at 01:12	23 MW	17	N21
15 October at 00:27	41 MW	11	N20
14 October at 20:36	7 MW	1	Terra
14 October at 14:40	26 MW	3	N
14 October at 14:04	118 MW	15	N21
14 October at 13:19	94 MW	13	N20
14 October at 13:00	47 MW	5	N
14 October at 02:07	2 MW	2	N
14 October at 01:31	4 MW	4	N21
14 October at 00:48	2 MW	2	N20
13 October at 14:21	225 MW	23	N21
13 October at 13:38	114 MW	15	N20
12 October at 20:58	15 MW	1	Terra
12 October at 13:00	76 MW	15	N21
12 October at 08:44	26 MW	2	Terra
12 October at 02:09	3 MW	3	N21
12 October at 01:26	11 MW	16	N20
12 October at 01:05	13 MW	11	N
12 October at 00:29	4 MW	3	N21
11 October at 15:53	8 MW	1	Aqua
11 October at 14:17	101 MW	12	N20
11 October at 13:55	215 MW	17	N
11 October at 13:19	310 MW	16	N21
11 October at 01:44	49 MW	24	N20
11 October at 01:24	64 MW	28	N
11 October at 00:48	74 MW	21	N21
10 October at 14:34	4 MW	1	N20
10 October at 14:14	9 MW	2	N
10 October at 13:38	45 MW	6	N21
10 October at 12:53	38 MW	5	N20
10 October at 02:01	5 MW	4	N20
10 October at 01:05	9 MW	6	N21
9 October at 16:14	11 MW	1	Aqua
9 October at 13:55	22 MW	4	N21
8 October at 14:17	37 MW	5	N21
8 October at 13:32	43 MW	5	N20
8 October at 13:13	12 MW	3	N
8 October at 00:59	4 MW	3	N20
7 October at 13:49	58 MW	7	N20
7 October at 13:32	13 MW	3	N
7 October at 12:53	3 MW	1	N21
7 October at 08:46	33 MW	1	Terra
6 October at 14:10	11 MW	2	N20
6 October at 13:49	12 MW	3	N
4 October at 14:27	60 MW	8	N
4 October at 13:49	149 MW	15	N21
4 October at 13:06	50 MW	9	N20
4 October at 08:29	23 MW	2	Terra
3 October at 13:25	12 MW	2	N20
3 October at 13:06	21 MW	3	N
1 October at 01:31	1 MW	1	N20
1 October at 01:12	1 MW	2	N
30 September at 00:54	1 MW	1	N21
29 September at 14:19	178 MW	12	N
29 September at 13:45	95 MW	14	N21
29 September at 08:29	5 MW	1	Terra
29 September at 02:07	46 MW	19	N20
29 September at 01:50	108 MW	43	N
29 September at 01:12	119 MW	62	N21
29 September at 00:27	45 MW	13	N20
28 September at 15:50	422 MW	20	Aqua
28 September at 14:04	384 MW	36	N21
28 September at 13:19	458 MW	74	N20
28 September at 03:39	22 MW	3	Aqua
28 September at 02:07	62 MW	31	N
28 September at 01:31	101 MW	39	N21
28 September at 00:46	60 MW	39	N20
27 September at 21:00	60 MW	6	Terra
27 September at 14:21	487 MW	42	N21
27 September at 13:38	437 MW	60	N20
27 September at 13:17	372 MW	44	N
27 September at 12:43	154 MW	15	N21
27 September at 08:50	74 MW	6	Terra
27 September at 01:50	54 MW	36	N21
27 September at 01:05	55 MW	40	N20
27 September at 00:46	39 MW	35	N
26 September at 20:21	69 MW	3	Terra
26 September at 16:12	262 MW	13	Aqua
26 September at 13:55	1,259 MW	131	N20
26 September at 13:38	1,261 MW	133	N
26 September at 13:00	1,602 MW	102	N21
26 September at 08:12	122 MW	8	Terra
26 September at 04:02	22 MW	1	Aqua
26 September at 02:09	124 MW	33	N21
26 September at 01:24	118 MW	79	N20
26 September at 01:05	97 MW	67	N
26 September at 00:29	181 MW	42	N21
25 September at 21:21	90 MW	2	Terra
25 September at 15:33	403 MW	7	Aqua
25 September at 14:17	572 MW	55	N20
25 September at 13:55	522 MW	71	N
25 September at 13:19	572 MW	45	N21
25 September at 03:24	28 MW	4	Aqua
25 September at 01:44	171 MW	52	N20
25 September at 01:24	122 MW	59	N
25 September at 00:48	211 MW	56	N21
24 September at 20:43	161 MW	11	Terra
24 September at 14:34	255 MW	24	N20
24 September at 14:14	310 MW	33	N
24 September at 13:38	440 MW	40	N21
24 September at 12:53	186 MW	17	N20
24 September at 08:31	29 MW	3	Terra
24 September at 02:01	75 MW	31	N20
24 September at 01:43	85 MW	30	N
24 September at 01:05	104 MW	32	N21
23 September at 15:57	42 MW	5	Aqua
23 September at 14:34	26 MW	6	N
23 September at 13:55	101 MW	15	N21
23 September at 13:10	75 MW	15	N20
23 September at 12:51	32 MW	3	N
23 September at 02:03	6 MW	4	N

8 other fires near Mashonaland occidental (ZW)

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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