Wildfires worldwide · Country

Lesotho: wildfires seen from space, 2000-2026

From November 2000 to 15 October 2026, NASA's MODIS satellites detected 11,119 vegetation fires in this country.

Fires detected per year

Terra from November 2000, Aqua from July 2002. 2026 runs to 15 October.

Year by year data

2024 is the year with the most detections (1,198); the record month is August 2024, with 566.

The fire season is concentrated between July and September: these three months hold 79% of an average year's detections.

Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 stayed similar (−1%, Aqua satellite). In 2016-2021, before Aqua's orbit drift, the change was −31%.

The average radiative power of a detection (Aqua satellite) went from 35.5 MW in 2003-2012 to 34.4 MW in 2016-2025.

In 2026 (to 15 October): 101 detections; from January to September, −75% against the average of the same months in 2003-2025.

Frequently asked questions

On average 453 vegetation fires detected a year by the MODIS satellites in 2003-2025, with a high of 1,198 in 2024.

Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 stayed similar (−1%, Aqua satellite). In 2016-2021, before Aqua's orbit drift, the change was −31%.

The fire season is concentrated between July and September: these three months hold 79% of an average year's detections.

2024, with 1,198 detections. The record month was August 2024, with 566.

This map tells the story of the world. XN FireSight brings wildfire risk analysis to a single site, with a real report to browse page by page.