Wildfire near Sal’sk, Russia (2026)

Wildfire near Sal’sk — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Sal’sk — 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 15 km south of Sal’sk.

Summary written on Aug 2, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature across 41 detections over the last 48 hours from an active wildfire burning near Рыбасовское сельское поселение, Russia, which has grown to consume 750 hectares (1,853 acres) since it started on August 1, 2026.

This incident occurs during the region's typical fire season, spanning the warm, dry months roughly from May to October. The active blaze contributes to a broader national picture in which 3,545,333 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a total that is 75% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire burned in Russia for 2 days. In total it burned about 750 ha (1,853 acres) — around 7.5 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.