Wildfire near São Raimundo das Mangabeiras (Aug 20), Brazil (2026)

Wildfire near São Raimundo das Mangabeiras (Aug 20) — Sentinel-2 SWIR

Green: vegetationBrown: already burnedOrange: fire right nowSentinel-2 · Copernicus

The story so far

About 50 km north of São Raimundo das Mangabeiras.

Summary written on Aug 19, while the fire was still active. It has since ended — the figures above are current.

An active wildfire burning near São Raimundo das Mangabeiras, Brazil, has consumed 530 hectares (1,310 acres) since it started on August 18, 2026. Satellites are picking up an intense heat signature from the active front, accompanied by 26 heat detections over the past 48 hours that indicate how far the fire has spread across the area.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which spans from August to October. Despite local activity, the broader national landscape shows a different trend: 3,135,795 hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, marking a total that is 90% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire burned in Brazil for 2 days. In total it burned about 330 ha (815 acres) — around 3.3 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.