Images
October 9, 2026 - Fires in Brazil
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Smoke billowed from dozens of fires burning across Brazil’s rainforest in early October 2026.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of active fire and dense gray smoke on October 8. At that time, most of the active fires burned in thick rainforest along the twisting Amazon River. Fires also cluster near Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Most of the rest are burning in forested area of Iranduba, a municipality close to Manaus.
Forest fires regularly occur during Brazil’s dry season, which runs from July through October. They are rarely a natural occurrence but are caused most often by human activity, such as slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation, or careless use of fire. According to multiple media reports, more than four million acres of Brazilian Amazon have burned so far in 2026. Firefighters are battling the current fires near Manaus.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 10/8/2026
Resolutions:
1km (982.2 KB), 500m (2.5 MB), 250m (1.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Smoke billowed from dozens of fires burning across Brazil’s rainforest in early October 2026.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of active fire and dense gray smoke on October 8. At that time, most of the active fires burned in thick rainforest along the twisting Amazon River. Fires also cluster near Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Most of the rest are burning in forested area of Iranduba, a municipality close to Manaus.
Forest fires regularly occur during Brazil’s dry season, which runs from July through October. They are rarely a natural occurrence but are caused most often by human activity, such as slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation, or careless use of fire. According to multiple media reports, more than four million acres of Brazilian Amazon have burned so far in 2026. Firefighters are battling the current fires near Manaus.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 10/8/2026
Resolutions:
1km (982.2 KB), 500m (2.5 MB), 250m (1.5 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
