Are there wildfires in Zambia right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 12874 active fire hotspots in Zambia over the last 3 days, including 249 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 Zambia Today

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

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

12874

Active hotspots

249

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

10 km/h from the SE — carrying smoke towards the NW.

22°C · 40% humidity

Air quality Very poor

PM2.5 47.8 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 84 · US AQI 164

Everyone should limit outdoor exertion. Keep windows closed if smoke is nearby.

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.

1436 active fires in Zambia

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
148 detections~36.5 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-8.336, 24.934
11295 MW
2
Remote area
72 detections~17.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-8.854, 24.426
9346 MW
3
Remote area
68 detections~8.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-8.734, 22.220
6553 MW
4
Remote area
70 detections~21.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-9.307, 24.831
4742 MW
5
Remote area
46 detections~5.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-9.629, 24.279
3910 MW
6
Remote area
29 detections~4.8 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-9.296, 24.569
3113 MW
7
Remote area
78 detections~46.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-10.448, 22.148
2695 MW
8
Remote area
40 detections~18 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-9.514, 24.110
2349 MW
9
Remote area
52 detections~17.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-9.046, 22.747
2287 MW
10
Remote area
39 detections~9.7 km acrosslast seen 2026-08-05 12:53 UTC-8.513, 25.640
2136 MW

Plus 1129 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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