Wildfire near Formosa do Rio Preto (Sep 22), Brazil (2026)

Wildfire near Formosa do Rio Preto (Sep 22) — NASA satellite

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

The story so far

Summary written on Sep 22, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature from an active wildfire burning near Formosa do Rio Preto, Brazil, which has scorched 330 hectares (815 acres) since it started on September 21, 2026. The front's fierce thermal output is accompanied by 16 distinct heat detections registered by NASA FIRMS over the past 48 hours, highlighting the extent of the active spread in the area.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from August to October. Despite the ongoing local threat, the broader national landscape shows a different trend: across the country, 6,875,658 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a 78% decrease compared to the 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.