Wildfire near Kabwum District, Papua New Guinea (2026)

Wildfire near Kabwum District — NASA satellite

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

The story so far

Summary written on Oct 30, 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 a wildfire burning in Kabwum District, Papua New Guinea, which has been active since October 29, 2026. Set against the backdrop of the region's typical fire season during the dry season, the ongoing incident has prompted eight heat detections by NASA FIRMS over the past 48 hours, illustrating the current extent of the cluster nearby.

Based on the number of satellite hotspots, the fire is at a rough satellite estimate of 150 hectares, equivalent to 371 acres.

In context

This wildfire burned in Papua New Guinea for 2 days. In total it burned about 200 ha (494 acres) — around 2.0 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.