Right now
The most recent data we hold from NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) arrived 40 minutes ago, and this point is in it.
2 other detections within 20 km in the last 24 hours, the nearest <1 km from here.
Recorded by satellite today.
A thermal anomaly is a snapshot of one satellite pass, not a record of a fire’s life: we cannot say whether it kept burning after that pass.
It is the 85th strongest of the 146 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 2 June 2026. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day.
What the source measured
NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) reported 46 fire pixels with a combined fire radiative power of 843 MW, at nominal confidence, 121 km from Palmerston.
The 46 pixels cover about 6.4 km² — that is the footprint of the detection grid at 375 m resolution, not an estimate of how much land burned.
FIRMS does not report burned area, and neither do we.
Wind from ESE at 9 km/h at 02:00 UTC, according to MET Norway.
At this point we have recorded a radiative power between 606 MW and 960 MW, over 351 readings since 4 September 2026. Today's reading sits 67% of the way up that range.
How we know
One source: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS). Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 36 out of 100, at 54 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Wind: MET Norway Locationforecast, CC BY 4.0.
Computed under scoring rules v4. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Event Data
| Type | Wildfires |
| Severity | High |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 36 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 54% |
| Coordinates | -11.4528, 131.3238 |
| Nearest City | Palmerston (121 km) |
| Impact Tier | minor |
| Timestamp | 2026-09-05T05:06:00.000Z |
| Source | https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@131.324,-11.453,9z |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Brightness | 353.85 |
| Frp | 842.72 |
| PixelCount | 46 |
| Confidence | nominal |
Safety Information
If a wildfire is approaching: follow evacuation orders immediately. Do not wait to see the fire. Close all windows and doors, remove combustible materials from around your home, and have an emergency go-bag ready. Air quality can deteriorate rapidly even at distance from the fire front — monitor local air quality advisories.
Series begins 8 March 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Want to know when something happens in this area?
In the news nearby
A list of links found by GDELT for this place and this hazard in the last seven days. External, not ours: we have not read them and do not vouch for them.
No news is listed: GDELT was not available when this page was rendered.
GDELT Project · gdeltproject.org
Calamity.live data shows a fire event with CalamityScore 36/100 (Australia), based on data from firms. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 185 scientific monitoring sources.