Wildfire near Lodève, France (2026)

Wildfire near Lodève — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Lodève — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True view Fire view

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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 north of Lodève.

Summary written on Aug 15, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature from the active wildfire near Lodève, France, which has already consumed 150 hectares (371 acres) since it started on August 14, 2026. Orbiting sensors have detected six separate heat signatures in the past 48 hours, illustrating the current spread of the fire across the landscape during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to September.

This incident unfolds against a severe national backdrop. Across the country, 95,284 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a staggering 546 percent increase 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.