Fire near Mpumalanga (ZA)

25.09°S, 30.31°E · first detected on 22 October at 11:32

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 22 October at 11:32 to 23 October at 02:07, through 155 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 1,910 ha.

Detected extent: 1,910 ha
Cumulative power: 1,804 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 72 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 155

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 3 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 07:12	43 MW	3	Met12
23 October at 07:02	26 MW	2	Met12
23 October at 06:47	29 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 06:32	57 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 06:17	31 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 06:02	33 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 05:47	61 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 05:33	65 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 05:33	58 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 05:32	28 MW	2	Met12
23 October at 05:22	19 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 05:18	21 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 03:09	10 MW	1	Aqua
23 October at 03:03	22 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 02:33	24 MW	1	Met9
23 October at 02:18	43 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 02:18	46 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 02:12	13 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 02:07	97 MW	19	N21
23 October at 02:03	55 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 02:03	49 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 02:02	25 MW	2	Met12
23 October at 01:42	34 MW	2	Met12
23 October at 01:33	27 MW	1	Met10
23 October at 01:32	11 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 01:22	76 MW	30	N20
23 October at 01:18	38 MW	2	Met9
23 October at 01:03	68 MW	2	Met10
23 October at 01:01	71 MW	20	N
23 October at 00:52	16 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 00:48	190 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 00:48	150 MW	5	Met9
23 October at 00:42	15 MW	1	Met12
23 October at 00:33	163 MW	5	Met9
23 October at 00:33	158 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 00:32	77 MW	3	Met12
23 October at 00:22	43 MW	3	Met12
23 October at 00:22	132 MW	28	N21
23 October at 00:18	78 MW	3	Met9
23 October at 00:18	87 MW	3	Met10
23 October at 00:12	87 MW	5	Met12
23 October at 00:03	152 MW	5	Met10
23 October at 00:03	83 MW	3	Met9
23 October at 00:02	19 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:52	51 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:48	229 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 23:48	325 MW	6	Met10
22 October at 23:42	27 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:33	211 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 23:33	159 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 23:32	33 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 23:22	13 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 23:18	149 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 23:18	127 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 23:12	44 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 23:03	88 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 23:03	84 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 23:02	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 22:52	27 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 22:48	89 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 22:48	105 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 22:42	57 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 22:33	138 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:33	122 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:32	33 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 22:18	136 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 22:18	153 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 22:12	26 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 22:03	80 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 22:03	93 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 21:48	65 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:48	81 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 21:42	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 21:33	69 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:33	77 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 21:18	83 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 21:18	83 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 21:03	85 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 21:03	139 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 21:02	27 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:52	34 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:51	108 MW	6	Terra
22 October at 20:48	149 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 20:48	174 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 20:33	257 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 20:33	302 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 20:22	121 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 20:18	208 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 20:18	200 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 20:12	37 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 20:03	283 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 20:03	210 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 20:02	36 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:52	27 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:48	164 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 19:48	185 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 19:42	39 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:34	198 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 19:33	212 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 19:32	70 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 19:22	44 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:19	200 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 19:18	214 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 19:12	23 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 19:04	146 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 19:03	167 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 18:52	31 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:49	181 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:48	179 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 18:42	11 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 18:34	330 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 18:33	399 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 18:22	93 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 18:19	312 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 18:18	294 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 18:12	181 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 18:04	383 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 18:03	400 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 18:02	103 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 17:52	57 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 17:49	363 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 17:48	440 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 17:42	226 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 17:34	909 MW	8	Met9
22 October at 17:33	1,096 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 17:32	951 MW	12	Met12
22 October at 17:22	281 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 17:19	163 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 17:18	766 MW	7	Met10
22 October at 17:18	455 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 17:12	1,140 MW	10	Met12
22 October at 17:03	496 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 17:03	591 MW	7	Met9
22 October at 17:02	288 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 16:52	156 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 16:48	304 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 16:48	322 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:42	102 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 16:33	277 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:33	270 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 16:32	74 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 16:22	11 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 16:18	249 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:18	167 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 16:14	90 MW	3	Aqua
22 October at 16:12	40 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 16:03	207 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 16:03	258 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 16:02	38 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 15:52	105 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 15:48	337 MW	6	Met9
22 October at 15:48	334 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:42	297 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 15:33	240 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 15:33	285 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:32	89 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 15:22	215 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 15:18	357 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 15:18	429 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 15:12	203 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 15:03	495 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 15:03	495 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 15:02	252 MW	6	Met12
22 October at 14:52	376 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:48	526 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 14:48	567 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:42	430 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 14:33	335 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 14:33	448 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:32	351 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:22	676 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 14:18	753 MW	5	Met9
22 October at 14:18	910 MW	5	Met10
22 October at 14:12	470 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 14:08	581 MW	20	N20
22 October at 14:03	379 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 14:03	579 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 14:02	592 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:52	632 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:49	379 MW	19	N
22 October at 13:48	399 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 13:48	559 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 13:42	188 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 13:33	474 MW	3	Met10
22 October at 13:33	400 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 13:32	438 MW	7	Met12
22 October at 13:22	181 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 13:18	149 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 13:18	74 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 13:12	206 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 13:10	276 MW	11	N21
22 October at 13:02	22 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:52	19 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:42	18 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:33	78 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 12:32	33 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 12:22	47 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 12:18	78 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 12:12	64 MW	3	Met12
22 October at 12:03	120 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 12:03	46 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 12:02	214 MW	4	Met12
22 October at 11:52	351 MW	5	Met12
22 October at 11:48	225 MW	2	Met10
22 October at 11:48	393 MW	4	Met9
22 October at 11:42	1,435 MW	8	Met12
22 October at 11:33	291 MW	3	Met9
22 October at 11:33	416 MW	4	Met10
22 October at 11:32	204 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 13:30	9 MW	1	N21

8 other fires near Mpumalanga (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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