Calamity

This page covers the event recorded here on 2026-03-20. A later event has since been recorded at the same location. See the current event at this location.

MediumWildfiresCS: 18 · v1

Wildfires in Libya

LibyaNASA FIRMS (VIIRS)

Right now

The most recent data we hold from NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) arrived 8 minutes ago, and this point is not in it. We record detections, not passes: an absence is not proof that nothing is there.

2 other detections within 20 km in the last 24 hours, the nearest 18 km from here.

Recorded by satellite 178 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 85th strongest of the 212 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 9 March 2026. The last comparable one was on 15 March 2026. 7 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.

What the source measured

NASA FIRMS (VIIRS) reported 14 fire pixels with a combined fire radiative power of 45 MW, at nominal confidence, 72 km from Zintan.

The 14 pixels cover about 2.0 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 N at 25 km/h at 18:00 UTC, according to MET Norway.

Nearby, since 9 March 2026

How we know

One source: NASA FIRMS (VIIRS). Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.

Our own score for this event is 18 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 v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.

Event Data

TypeWildfires
SeverityMedium
Calamity Score (ours)18 / 100
Legacy data-support index0.54/1
Coordinates31.3474, 11.9285
Nearest CityZintan (72 km)
Urban exposure index (PEI)0 within 20 km
Impact Tierminor
Date2026-03-20 — time not reported by the source
Sourcehttps://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@11.929,31.347,9z

Physical priority index · v1. 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: 2026-03-20 — time not reported.

First archived: 2026-03-20T04:07:10.326Z. 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

40
intensity
0
Urban PEI term
0
Scenario weight
20
Recorded reference / batch anomaly

Technical Details

Brightness345.84
Frp45.22
PixelCount14
Confidencenominal

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.

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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

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