Wildfire near Exaltación (Nov 1 · E), Bolivia (2026)

Wildfire near Exaltación (Nov 1 · E) — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Exaltación (Nov 1 · E) — 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

An active wildfire burning near Municipio Exaltación in Bolivia has captured the attention of orbital instruments as it sweeps through the region during the dry season. Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature from the fire front, highlighting the severe thermal energy being released by the burning vegetation.

First detected on November 1, 2026, the fire has prompted significant orbital tracking, with 42 heat detections recorded in the surrounding area over the past 48 hours. Based on the density and distribution of these satellite hotspots, the burned area is roughly estimated at 750 hectares, equivalent to about 1,853 acres.

This incident unfolds within a broader national context where 1,560,163 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a figure that is 76% below the two-decade average for Bolivia.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Bolivia for 2 days. So far it has affected roughly 750 ha (1,853 acres) — about 7.5 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.