Are there wildfires in Tanzania right now?

NASA's FIRMS satellites detected 9613 active fire hotspots in Tanzania over the last 3 days, including 24 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.

9613

Active hotspots

High intensity

Time window

VIIRS

NASA sensor

LowMedHigh

Conditions at Remote area

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

28°C · 28% humidity

Air quality Poor

PM2.5 37.5 µg/m³ this hour · EU AQI 73 · US AQI 86

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.

689 active fires in Tanzania

Neighbouring detections grouped into single incidents, largest first.

1
Remote area
693 detections~152.9 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-11.025, 31.782
9529 MW
2
Remote area
615 detections~162.2 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-9.752, 31.641
7866 MW
3
Remote area
292 detections~145 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 12:27 UTC-9.665, 30.215
4125 MW
4
Remote area
214 detections~58.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-8.843, 30.708
3280 MW
5
Remote area
330 detections~119.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-10.855, 35.400
2848 MW
6
Remote area
300 detections~147.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-10.038, 32.676
2747 MW
7
Remote area
136 detections~64.1 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 12:27 UTC-9.982, 29.958
2507 MW
8
Remote area
157 detections~76.6 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-9.191, 30.232
1785 MW
9
Remote area
58 detections~39.4 km acrosslast seen 2026-09-18 23:33 UTC-9.786, 31.041
1545 MW
10
Remote area
6 detectionslast seen 2026-09-19 10:30 UTC-5.643, 34.439
1159 MW

Plus 732 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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