Wildfire near Santa Maria (Aug 30)
Satellite image: NASA MODIS (infrared — active fire in orange/red, from yesterday).
Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).
Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature from an active wildfire burning near Santa Maria, Brazil, where 16 heat detections over the past 48 hours trace the local spread of the front. The blaze has scorched 400 hectares, or 988 acres, since it started on August 30, 2026.
This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from August to October. Despite active blazes like the one near Santa Maria, the broader national landscape reflects a different trend, with 4,406,757 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking an 86% decrease below the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Brazil for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 400 ha (988 acres) — about 4.0 km².
Close to the tropics, fires tend to follow the dry season and are often linked to land-clearing rather than a single summer peak.
The bigger picture in Brazil
Across Brazil, roughly 4,406,757 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 86% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
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