Fire near Matabeleland méridional (ZW)

20.39°S, 27.53°E · first detected on 19 October at 11:52

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 19 October at 11:52 to 21 October at 14:27, that is 2 days, through 285 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 3,851 ha.

Detected extent: 3,851 ha
Cumulative power: 3,467 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 102 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 285
Estimated emissions: 7.3 kt of carbon; Carbon burnt in the 0.1 degree cells (about 10 km) around the fire, from 19 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 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
21 October at 14:42	20 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 14:32	41 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 14:27	197 MW	19	N20
21 October at 14:22	50 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 14:19	168 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 14:12	149 MW	8	Met12
21 October at 14:08	359 MW	35	N
21 October at 14:04	87 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 14:02	101 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 13:52	187 MW	8	Met12
21 October at 13:49	233 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 13:48	281 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 13:42	221 MW	9	Met12
21 October at 13:34	371 MW	5	Met9
21 October at 13:33	258 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 13:32	309 MW	10	Met12
21 October at 13:30	409 MW	22	N21
21 October at 13:22	497 MW	12	Met12
21 October at 13:19	91 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 13:18	104 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 13:12	116 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 13:04	146 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 13:02	306 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 12:52	175 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 12:48	173 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 12:48	72 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 12:42	258 MW	7	Met12
21 October at 12:33	101 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 12:33	178 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 12:32	298 MW	10	Met12
21 October at 12:22	363 MW	11	Met12
21 October at 12:18	384 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 12:18	87 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 12:12	538 MW	17	Met12
21 October at 12:03	156 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 12:02	292 MW	9	Met12
21 October at 11:52	421 MW	9	Met12
21 October at 11:42	80 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 11:33	47 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 11:33	64 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 11:32	48 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 11:22	105 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 11:18	325 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 11:18	280 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 11:12	343 MW	10	Met12
21 October at 11:03	448 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 11:03	406 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 11:02	363 MW	11	Met12
21 October at 10:52	183 MW	7	Met12
21 October at 10:48	280 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 10:48	279 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 10:42	228 MW	7	Met12
21 October at 10:33	238 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 10:33	154 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 10:32	159 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 10:22	80 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 10:18	342 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 10:18	260 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 10:12	349 MW	8	Met12
21 October at 10:03	448 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 10:03	442 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 10:02	325 MW	7	Met12
21 October at 09:52	159 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 09:48	329 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 09:48	328 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 09:42	141 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 09:33	44 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 09:33	81 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 09:32	126 MW	7	Met12
21 October at 09:22	71 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 09:18	35 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 09:18	34 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 09:12	65 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 09:02	25 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 08:32	15 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 01:58	16 MW	8	N20
21 October at 01:37	9 MW	9	N
21 October at 01:01	9 MW	7	N21
20 October at 22:32	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 22:02	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:52	23 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:42	13 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:32	31 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 21:22	14 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:13	178 MW	7	Terra
20 October at 21:12	27 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 21:02	50 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 20:52	94 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 20:42	35 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 20:32	47 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 20:22	24 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 20:02	45 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 19:52	36 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 19:42	43 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 19:32	43 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 19:22	66 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 19:12	16 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 19:02	21 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 18:52	22 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 18:42	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 18:02	10 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:52	12 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:42	15 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:32	33 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:22	24 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:12	34 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:02	55 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:52	56 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:42	61 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:37	201 MW	4	Aqua
20 October at 16:32	81 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 16:22	78 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 16:12	272 MW	7	Met12
20 October at 16:04	554 MW	6	Met9
20 October at 16:02	232 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 15:52	402 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 15:49	918 MW	4	Met10
20 October at 15:49	935 MW	7	Met9
20 October at 15:42	193 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 15:34	530 MW	8	Met9
20 October at 15:34	566 MW	7	Met10
20 October at 15:32	216 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 15:22	173 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 15:19	580 MW	8	Met9
20 October at 15:19	637 MW	7	Met10
20 October at 15:12	222 MW	7	Met12
20 October at 15:04	809 MW	5	Met10
20 October at 15:04	707 MW	5	Met9
20 October at 15:02	463 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 14:52	219 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 14:49	481 MW	4	Met10
20 October at 14:49	485 MW	5	Met9
20 October at 14:46	406 MW	32	N20
20 October at 14:42	326 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 14:34	245 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 14:33	290 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 14:32	206 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 14:25	596 MW	45	N
20 October at 14:22	262 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 14:19	482 MW	5	Met9
20 October at 14:18	397 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 14:12	438 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 14:04	375 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 14:03	265 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 14:02	420 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 13:52	442 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 13:49	584 MW	37	N21
20 October at 13:49	701 MW	5	Met9
20 October at 13:48	330 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 13:42	407 MW	13	Met12
20 October at 13:34	339 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 13:33	131 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 13:32	396 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 13:22	337 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 13:19	199 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 13:18	140 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 13:12	213 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 13:06	287 MW	25	N20
20 October at 13:04	224 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 13:02	152 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 12:52	243 MW	13	Met12
20 October at 12:48	306 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 12:48	287 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 12:42	352 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 12:33	212 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 12:33	150 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 12:32	250 MW	12	Met12
20 October at 12:22	388 MW	14	Met12
20 October at 12:18	233 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 12:18	214 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 12:12	241 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 12:03	254 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 12:03	249 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 12:02	288 MW	13	Met12
20 October at 11:52	244 MW	8	Met12
20 October at 11:48	244 MW	3	Met10
20 October at 11:48	287 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 11:42	257 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 11:33	355 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 11:33	499 MW	5	Met10
20 October at 11:32	356 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 11:22	332 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 11:18	454 MW	4	Met10
20 October at 11:18	434 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 11:12	270 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 11:03	320 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 11:03	358 MW	5	Met10
20 October at 11:02	371 MW	11	Met12
20 October at 10:52	209 MW	9	Met12
20 October at 10:48	157 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 10:48	264 MW	4	Met10
20 October at 10:42	339 MW	10	Met12
20 October at 10:33	117 MW	2	Met9
20 October at 10:33	118 MW	2	Met10
20 October at 10:32	154 MW	7	Met12
20 October at 10:22	91 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 10:18	46 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 10:18	52 MW	1	Met10
20 October at 10:12	124 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 10:03	301 MW	4	Met10
20 October at 10:03	228 MW	3	Met9
20 October at 10:02	183 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 09:52	122 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 09:48	36 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 09:42	53 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 09:32	81 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 09:22	34 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 09:12	29 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 02:16	1 MW	1	N20
20 October at 01:56	4 MW	3	N
20 October at 01:20	12 MW	9	N21
20 October at 00:35	17 MW	7	N20
19 October at 18:02	17 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 14:46	6 MW	1	N
19 October at 14:22	16 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 14:12	43 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 14:08	33 MW	4	N21
19 October at 14:04	38 MW	1	Met9
19 October at 14:02	36 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 13:52	41 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 13:42	80 MW	4	Met12
19 October at 13:32	35 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 13:23	56 MW	6	N20
19 October at 13:22	60 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 13:19	39 MW	1	Met9
19 October at 13:12	55 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 13:04	84 MW	4	N
19 October at 13:02	49 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 12:52	43 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 12:42	63 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 12:32	63 MW	4	Met12
19 October at 12:22	115 MW	4	Met12
19 October at 12:18	43 MW	1	Met9
19 October at 12:18	97 MW	2	Met10
19 October at 12:12	39 MW	2	Met12
19 October at 12:02	57 MW	3	Met12
19 October at 11:52	28 MW	1	Met12

8 other fires near Matabeleland méridional (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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