Right now
The most recent data we hold from NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) arrived 17 minutes ago, and this point is not in it. We record detections, not passes: an absence is not proof that nothing is there.
Nothing else has been detected within 20 km in the last 24 hours.
Recorded by satellite 14 days ago.
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 5th strongest of the 26 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 9 March 2026. The last comparable one was on 5 September 2026.
What the source measured
NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) reported 37 fire pixels with a combined fire radiative power of 198 MW, at high confidence, 19 km from Bunia.
The 37 pixels cover about 5.2 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.
Urban PEI: 187,588 within a heuristic 35 km radius; not unique people.
Wind from NW at 5 km/h at 17:00 UTC, according to MET Norway.
Nearby, since 9 March 2026
- September 12, 2026 · score 27 · 8.1 km
- September 20, 2026 · score 48 · 8.6 km
- September 11, 2026 · score 27 · 8.7 km
How we know
One source: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS). Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 48 out of 100.
This is our versioned heuristic index, not source severity or a calibrated probability. Urban PEI does not count unique people.
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 | Critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 48 / 100 |
| Legacy data-support index | 0.74/1 |
| Coordinates | 1.3965, 30.2836 |
| Nearest City | Bunia (19 km) |
| Urban exposure index (PEI) | 187.6K within 35 km |
| Impact Tier | severe |
| Timestamp | 2026-09-09T12:19:00.000Z |
| Source | https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@30.284,1.397,9z |
Physical priority index · v4 (historical). Heuristic priority, not calibrated probability, predictive accuracy or damage. The legacy data-support index combines assigned source support and field availability. Urban PEI is distance-weighted and does not count unique people; zero does not establish that nobody is present. Model cards.
Source and revision timeline
Source: firms. Occurrence: 2026-09-09T12:19:00.000Z.
First archived: 2026-09-10T00:06:00.915Z. Material modification: not recorded.
Retained revisions are prospective; earlier versions may be unavailable. No revision entry does not prove that a record never changed.
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Brightness | 367 |
| Frp | 197.65 |
| PixelCount | 37 |
| Confidence | high |
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.
Review the area, threshold and delivery channel in your account.
Want to know when something happens near Bunia?
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