Fire near Niassa (MZ)

12.87°S, 37.17°E · first detected on 25 September at 12:36

What the satellites measured

This fire was tracked from 25 September at 12:36 to 22 October at 13:15, that is 27 days, through 795 satellite detections. The detected extent reaches 13,448 ha.

Detected extent: 13,448 ha
Cumulative power: 7,977 MW
Peak power, one pixel: 111 MW
VIIRS and MODIS detections: 795
Estimated emissions: 8.0 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). 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 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 17:43	11 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 17:33	12 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 13:15	21 MW	2	N21
22 October at 12:30	69 MW	7	N20
22 October at 11:49	68 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 11:43	34 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 11:34	65 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 11:13	30 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 11:04	68 MW	1	Met9
22 October at 11:03	31 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 10:13	22 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 10:03	54 MW	2	Met12
22 October at 09:49	98 MW	2	Met9
22 October at 09:49	61 MW	1	Met10
22 October at 09:33	21 MW	1	Met12
22 October at 01:35	4 MW	3	N20
22 October at 01:16	4 MW	2	N
22 October at 00:40	7 MW	3	N21
21 October at 20:15	10 MW	2	Terra
21 October at 16:20	30 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 16:13	44 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 16:05	82 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 15:53	123 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 15:50	453 MW	5	Met9
21 October at 15:49	40 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 15:43	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 15:40	137 MW	3	Aqua
21 October at 15:35	1,013 MW	9	Met9
21 October at 15:34	467 MW	4	Met10
21 October at 15:33	679 MW	10	Met12
21 October at 15:23	261 MW	10	Met12
21 October at 15:20	226 MW	5	Met9
21 October at 15:19	105 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 15:13	187 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 15:05	125 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 15:04	115 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 15:03	115 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 14:53	297 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 14:50	365 MW	5	Met9
21 October at 14:43	41 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 14:34	386 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 14:34	429 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 14:33	275 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 14:23	210 MW	6	Met12
21 October at 14:19	397 MW	4	Met9
21 October at 14:13	64 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 14:10	85 MW	10	N
21 October at 14:04	103 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 14:03	21 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 13:53	89 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 13:49	37 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 13:34	505 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 13:33	349 MW	8	Met12
21 October at 13:32	126 MW	11	N21
21 October at 13:23	61 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 13:13	56 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 12:53	109 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 12:47	253 MW	15	N20
21 October at 12:43	15 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 12:28	54 MW	4	N
21 October at 12:19	59 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 12:13	16 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 12:04	129 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 12:03	27 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 11:43	12 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 11:19	55 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 11:13	80 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 11:04	179 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 11:04	172 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 11:03	215 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 10:53	70 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 10:49	41 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 10:49	47 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 10:43	14 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 10:34	266 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 10:34	151 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 10:33	180 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 10:23	50 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 10:19	131 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 10:19	132 MW	2	Met10
21 October at 10:13	242 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 10:04	234 MW	3	Met10
21 October at 10:04	285 MW	3	Met9
21 October at 10:03	137 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 09:53	36 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 09:49	51 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 09:49	96 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 09:43	242 MW	5	Met12
21 October at 09:34	47 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 09:34	50 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 09:33	63 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 09:23	102 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 09:19	54 MW	1	Met10
21 October at 09:19	101 MW	2	Met9
21 October at 09:13	147 MW	4	Met12
21 October at 09:04	39 MW	1	Met9
21 October at 09:03	42 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 08:13	24 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 08:01	18 MW	2	Terra
21 October at 07:53	31 MW	2	Met12
21 October at 07:03	13 MW	1	Met12
21 October at 06:53	69 MW	3	Met12
21 October at 03:26	14 MW	2	Aqua
21 October at 01:35	14 MW	7	N
21 October at 00:59	3 MW	2	N21
20 October at 17:53	18 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 17:43	31 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 17:33	93 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 17:13	11 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 16:53	144 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 16:43	117 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 16:23	276 MW	6	Met12
20 October at 16:13	334 MW	5	Met12
20 October at 15:53	29 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 15:50	70 MW	1	Met9
20 October at 14:53	73 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 14:43	270 MW	4	Met12
20 October at 14:34	526 MW	4	Met9
20 October at 14:33	78 MW	2	Met12
20 October at 14:23	29 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 13:53	186 MW	3	Met12
20 October at 13:51	190 MW	4	N21
20 October at 13:43	21 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 13:13	25 MW	1	Met12
20 October at 13:08	95 MW	8	N20
20 October at 12:47	143 MW	6	N
20 October at 12:43	47 MW	1	Met12
19 October at 13:25	10 MW	1	N20
19 October at 13:06	11 MW	1	N
19 October at 12:30	7 MW	1	N21
19 October at 00:52	2 MW	2	N20
18 October at 13:25	9 MW	1	N
18 October at 12:47	33 MW	2	N21
18 October at 00:14	3 MW	1	N21
17 October at 14:04	225 MW	8	N20
17 October at 13:45	80 MW	4	N
17 October at 13:08	157 MW	7	N21
16 October at 13:25	27 MW	3	N21
16 October at 12:41	13 MW	1	N20
15 October at 13:02	12 MW	1	N20
14 October at 13:00	13 MW	1	N
14 October at 01:29	3 MW	2	N21
14 October at 00:46	3 MW	2	N20
14 October at 00:27	2 MW	3	N
13 October at 13:38	29 MW	4	N20
12 October at 13:02	188 MW	7	N21
12 October at 01:24	2 MW	1	N20
12 October at 01:03	4 MW	2	N
12 October at 00:29	2 MW	2	N21
11 October at 13:55	63 MW	11	N
11 October at 13:19	297 MW	27	N21
11 October at 12:36	60 MW	16	N20
11 October at 01:41	2 MW	1	N20
11 October at 01:22	23 MW	13	N
11 October at 00:46	24 MW	7	N21
11 October at 00:01	2 MW	1	N20
10 October at 13:38	228 MW	10	N21
10 October at 12:53	112 MW	7	N20
10 October at 12:35	84 MW	6	N
10 October at 01:03	29 MW	10	N21
10 October at 00:20	7 MW	6	N20
9 October at 13:57	119 MW	10	N21
9 October at 13:13	152 MW	20	N20
9 October at 12:53	169 MW	17	N
9 October at 12:16	392 MW	23	N21
9 October at 01:24	6 MW	5	N21
9 October at 00:40	11 MW	7	N20
9 October at 00:20	4 MW	3	N
8 October at 15:38	62 MW	4	Aqua
8 October at 13:32	321 MW	22	N20
8 October at 13:13	301 MW	22	N
8 October at 12:36	137 MW	10	N21
8 October at 07:46	27 MW	1	Terra
8 October at 01:41	2 MW	1	N21
8 October at 00:59	7 MW	5	N20
8 October at 00:40	7 MW	8	N
8 October at 00:01	3 MW	2	N21
7 October at 13:51	68 MW	12	N20
7 October at 13:32	112 MW	15	N
7 October at 12:55	114 MW	14	N21
7 October at 02:48	13 MW	1	Aqua
7 October at 01:18	9 MW	3	N20
7 October at 00:59	9 MW	8	N
7 October at 00:22	12 MW	5	N21
6 October at 20:19	6 MW	1	Terra
6 October at 15:59	230 MW	3	Aqua
6 October at 13:49	162 MW	24	N
6 October at 13:15	234 MW	15	N21
6 October at 12:30	84 MW	9	N20
6 October at 00:40	1 MW	1	N21
5 October at 15:21	84 MW	8	Aqua
5 October at 14:10	63 MW	5	N
5 October at 13:32	182 MW	14	N21
5 October at 12:47	138 MW	15	N20
5 October at 12:28	65 MW	6	N
5 October at 00:59	1 MW	1	N21
4 October at 13:08	19 MW	4	N20
3 October at 13:25	4 MW	1	N20
30 September at 15:29	36 MW	3	Aqua
30 September at 14:02	67 MW	7	N
30 September at 13:25	51 MW	7	N21
30 September at 12:41	44 MW	8	N20
30 September at 01:31	1 MW	1	N
30 September at 00:52	3 MW	4	N21
29 September at 13:47	13 MW	2	N21
29 September at 13:00	25 MW	4	N20
29 September at 12:43	126 MW	13	N
29 September at 08:29	111 MW	1	Terra
29 September at 01:48	6 MW	4	N
29 September at 01:12	6 MW	6	N21
29 September at 00:27	4 MW	3	N20
28 September at 20:02	9 MW	1	Terra
28 September at 13:19	206 MW	30	N20
28 September at 12:24	82 MW	10	N21
28 September at 01:29	3 MW	2	N21
28 September at 00:46	6 MW	5	N20
28 September at 00:27	3 MW	5	N
27 September at 15:14	82 MW	5	Aqua
27 September at 13:38	253 MW	21	N20
27 September at 13:19	220 MW	35	N
27 September at 12:41	98 MW	13	N21
27 September at 00:46	1 MW	1	N
26 September at 01:24	2 MW	2	N20
26 September at 01:03	4 MW	5	N
26 September at 00:29	1 MW	2	N21
25 September at 13:55	24 MW	3	N
25 September at 13:19	4 MW	1	N21
25 September at 12:36	16 MW	3	N20

8 other fires near Niassa (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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