Wildfire near Santander Jiménez (Aug 20)
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 Santander Jiménez, Mexico, which has scorched 850 hectares (2,100 acres) since it started on August 20, 2026. Monitoring systems have registered 34 heat detections in the past 48 hours, illustrating how far the fire has spread across the area.
While this incident develops outside the region's typical fire season, which usually runs from March to June, it unfolds against a broader national backdrop where 1,289,178 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a figure 70% below the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Mexico for less than a day. So far it has affected roughly 850 ha (2,100 acres) — about 8.5 km².
In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.
The bigger picture in Mexico
Across Mexico, roughly 1,289,178 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 70% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
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Community reports
Reports from people near the fire · unverified
Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.