Wildfire near Samokov (Sep 23), North Macedonia (2026)

Wildfire near Samokov (Sep 23) — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Samokov (Sep 23) — 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 northeast of Samokov.

Burning across 29 days in North Macedonia near Samokov, an intense fire left behind an estimated footprint of 100 hectares (247 acres) after starting on September 23, 2026. Satellites detected intense heat signatures during the event, which unfolded within the country's typical fire season that spans the warm, dry months roughly from May to October.

The incident has now ended.

In context

This wildfire burned in North Macedonia for 2 days. In total it burned about 100 ha (247 acres) — around 1.0 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.