Wildfire near Middle Fly District (Oct 12), Papua New Guinea (2026)

Wildfire near Middle Fly District (Oct 12) — Sentinel-2 SWIR

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

The story so far

A fire that burned for 20 days near the Middle Fly District in Papua New Guinea has officially ended. The wildfire, which began on October 12, 2026, during the region's typical fire season, was closely monitored from space as it progressed through the local landscape.

During the latter stages of the event, satellites picked up a moderate heat signature from the main front, while 20 heat detections recorded over the final 48 hours highlighted the lingering thermal activity in the area. Based on these satellite hotspots, the final extent of the fire is roughly estimated at 180 hectares, or about 445 acres.

In context

This wildfire burned in Papua New Guinea for 2 days. In total it burned about 180 ha (445 acres) — around 1.8 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.