Are there wildfires in Tanzania right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 3120 active fire hotspots in Tanzania over the last 3 days, including 16 high-intensity fires. The map on this page shows their exact locations, updated hourly.

How does NASA detect wildfires?

NASA's VIIRS and MODIS instruments aboard the Suomi NPP, NOAA-20 and Terra/Aqua satellites detect thermal anomalies (heat signatures) from orbit. Each detection is a "hotspot" — a pixel where the sensor measured fire-level heat. Data is published within about 3 hours of the satellite overpass through the FIRMS system.

What does fire intensity (FRP) mean?

FRP (Fire Radiative Power, in megawatts) measures how much energy a fire is releasing. Higher FRP means a more intense fire. On this map, brighter red dots are higher-intensity detections.

Wildfires in Tanzania Today

Name: Active Wildfires in Tanzania
Creator: NASA
Published: 2024-01-01
License: https://www.nasa.gov/open/
Keywords: wildfires, fires tanzania, NASA FIRMS, active fire map, VIIRS

Live active-fire map for Tanzania from NASA FIRMS satellite data. Where fires are burning right now — updated hourly. Typical fire season: June–October.

3120

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

8 km/h from the ESE — carrying smoke towards the WNW.

19°C · 54% humidity

Air quality Poor

PM2.5 36.2 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 69 · US AQI 103

Sensitive groups should reduce outdoor exertion. Others may notice irritation.

The band above follows the European index, which averages particulates over 24 hours — so a sharp rise in this hour's PM2.5, as smoke passing overhead causes, shows up in the reading before it moves the band.

Wind direction only — not a smoke dispersion forecast. Air quality is modelled, not a street-level measurement. Weather from MET Norway; air quality from Open-Meteo (Copernicus CAMS). Both CC BY 4.0.

348 active fires in Tanzania

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
19 detections~37 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-7.787, 29.454
1690 MW
2
Remote area
75 detections~36 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-5.640, 31.970
929 MW
3
Remote area
26 detections~21.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-6.270, 32.453
691 MW
4
Remote area
48 detections~8.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-2.215, 35.293
619 MW
5
Remote area
19 detections~17.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-9.884, 29.445
602 MW
6
Remote area
17 detections~19 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-6.109, 29.981
529 MW
7
Remote area
30 detections~21.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-6.104, 32.338
482 MW
8
Remote area
56 detections~20.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-7.352, 34.532
456 MW
9
Remote area
13 detectionslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-8.443, 30.112
456 MW
10
Remote area
27 detections~9.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 11:15 UTC-6.321, 30.048
422 MW

Plus 507 smaller heat detections — often agricultural burning rather than wildfire.

About this wildfire map

This map uses NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), which publishes active-fire detections from the VIIRS and MODIS instruments aboard NASA and NOAA satellites. Each dot is a thermal “hotspot” where the sensor measured fire-level heat, usually within 3 hours of the satellite passing overhead. It shows where fires are actively burning — not fire perimeters or evacuation zones. For safety and evacuation information, always follow your local emergency services.

Wildfires in other countries

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