Wildfire near Sabres, France (2026)

Wildfire near Sabres — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Sabres — 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 south of Sabres.

Following a protracted 78-day siege that spanned nearly the entirety of the regional fire season, the wildfire near Sabres, France, has officially ended after first igniting on August 13, 2026. Typically confined to the drier months between June and September, this prolonged incident pushed local emergency resources through an extended battle in the French countryside.

During the height of its activity, satellites tracked an intense heat signature emanating from the burning front. Based on the density of these orbital thermal hotspots, the blaze ultimately consumed an estimated 680 hectares, translating to roughly 1,680 acres.

This prolonged incident unfolded against a notably destructive backdrop across France, where 98,642 hectares have burned so far in 2026. This cumulative national total marks an alarming 568 percent above the two-decade average for the country.

In context

This wildfire burned in France for 1 day. In total it burned about 680 ha (1,680 acres) — around 6.8 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.