Images
September 13, 2026 - Fires in Brazil
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Multiple wildfires were burning across northeastern Brazil in August and September 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of heavy smoke rising from multiple fires on September 9.
This image captured at least six separate fires, each marked by a thick gray plume. The fires were burning in an area bounded by the Nascentes do Rio Parnaiba National Park, in the west, and the Sobradinho Reservoir on the Sao Franciso River, in the east, and north of the town of Bom Jesus, in the south. On September 11, the Global Incidence Tracker reported a cluster of 11 satellite hot spots, each marking an active fire, north-northwest of Bom Jesus—the same area shown in this image.
Winter and spring, which are dry seasons characterized by low rainfall and high temperatures, are prime time for wildfires in Brazil. According to a study published in the journal Floresta in March of 2021, the occurrence of fire in Brazil was highest between August and October, with burnt area tending to peak in September.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/9/2026
Resolutions:
1km (719.6 KB), 500m (1.7 MB), 250m (1.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Multiple wildfires were burning across northeastern Brazil in August and September 2026. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of heavy smoke rising from multiple fires on September 9.
This image captured at least six separate fires, each marked by a thick gray plume. The fires were burning in an area bounded by the Nascentes do Rio Parnaiba National Park, in the west, and the Sobradinho Reservoir on the Sao Franciso River, in the east, and north of the town of Bom Jesus, in the south. On September 11, the Global Incidence Tracker reported a cluster of 11 satellite hot spots, each marking an active fire, north-northwest of Bom Jesus—the same area shown in this image.
Winter and spring, which are dry seasons characterized by low rainfall and high temperatures, are prime time for wildfires in Brazil. According to a study published in the journal Floresta in March of 2021, the occurrence of fire in Brazil was highest between August and October, with burnt area tending to peak in September.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/9/2026
Resolutions:
1km (719.6 KB), 500m (1.7 MB), 250m (1.2 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
