Wildfire near Balsas (Sep 30), Brazil (2026)

Wildfire near Balsas (Sep 30) — NASA satellite

Yesterday's image: fire shows in orange and red. NASA MODIS

The story so far

About 40 km southeast of Balsas.

Summary written on Oct 1, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

A moderate heat signature is currently being picked up by satellites over an active 300-hectare (741-acre) wildfire burning near the city of Balsas in Brazil, where 12 separate thermal anomalies have been detected in the past 48 hours. Having started on September 30, 2026, the blaze unfolds right in the heart of the region's typical fire season, which traditionally runs from August to October.

This incident occurs within a broader national landscape that has seen 7,845,359 hectares burn so far in 2026, a figure that remains 75% below the country's two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire burned in Brazil for 1 day. In total it burned about 300 ha (741 acres) — around 3.0 km². That size is an estimate from satellite hotspots, not a measured area.

Close to the tropics, fires tend to follow the dry season and are often linked to land-clearing rather than a single summer peak.