Wildfire near Ax-les-Thermes (Sep 15), France (2026)

Wildfire near Ax-les-Thermes (Sep 15) — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Ax-les-Thermes (Sep 15) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True view Fire view

⟷

True view (left): as the eye sees it.
Fire view (right): infrared (SWIR), sees through smoke and brings out the heat.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 brown = already burned
🟠 orange = fire right now

Drag to compare: normal photo on the left, heat brought out on the right.

Green: vegetationBrown: already burnedOrange: fire right nowSentinel-2 · Copernicus

The story so far

About 10 km southeast of Ax-les-Thermes.

Summary written on Sep 16, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

Burning near the city of Ax-les-Thermes in France, an active wildfire has consumed 150 hectares (371 acres) since it started on September 15, 2026. Orbiting satellites are currently picking up a moderate heat signature from the active front, alongside six distinct heat detections clustered nearby over the past 48 hours, illustrating the localized spread of the blaze during its ongoing run through the landscape.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to September. The broader national landscape is experiencing severe impacts, with 96,966 hectares burned across the country so far in 2026—a staggering 557% above the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire burned in France for 2 days. In total it burned about 150 ha (371 acres) — around 1.5 km². That size is an estimate from satellite hotspots, not a measured area.

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.