Wildfire near Santa Cruz do Piauí, Brazil (2026)

Wildfire near Santa Cruz do Piauí — NASA satellite

Yesterday's image: fire shows in orange and red. NASA MODIS

The story so far

About 15 km northwest of Santa Cruz do Piauí.

Summary written on Sep 17, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

An intense heat signature is being picked up by satellites over an active wildfire near Santa Cruz do Piauí, Brazil, where 28 heat detections have been recorded over the last 48 hours. Having started on September 15, 2026, the fire has been burning for two days and has consumed 300 hectares, or approximately 741 acres, maintaining an average daily growth of about 150 hectares per day.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from August to October. Meanwhile, the broader national landscape shows 5,624,790 hectares burned so far in 2026, a figure that remains 82% below the two-decade average for the country.

In context

This wildfire burned in Brazil for 2 days. In total it burned about 380 ha (939 acres) — around 3.8 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.