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Fire in City of Johannesburg
Fire in the twelve months to October 2026: 585 fire detections seen from space; 1,437 ha burnt in the 7 of those months with burnt area out. The most since 2012: 2012, 928.
Two readings from space. Fire detections are hot spots a VIIRS satellite saw as it passed, each about 375 m across, counted where they fall in the place: a big fire gives many, a short one between passes none. Burnt area is the ground that looks burnt afterwards, from Sentinel-3 at 300 m, in hectares. Neither is a fire report from the ground.
The last twelve months
- 585Fire detectionsNovember 2025 to October 2026
- 1,437 haBurnt7 of the twelve months; the rest not out yet
Show the numbers
| When or what | Figure |
|---|---|
| November 2025 | 0 fire detections |
| December 2025 | 0 fire detections |
| January 2026 | 6 fire detections |
| February 2026 | 7 fire detections |
| March 2026 | 6 fire detections |
| April 2026 | 7 fire detections |
| May 2026 | 76 fire detections |
| June 2026 | 145 fire detections |
| July 2026 | 203 fire detections |
| August 2026 | 88 fire detections |
| September 2026 | 17 fire detections |
| October 2026 | 30 fire detections |
| November 2025 | 0.0 ha burnt (0.000% of the place) |
| December 2025 | 0.0 ha burnt (0.000% of the place) |
| January 2026 | 0.0 ha burnt (0.000% of the place) |
| February 2026 | 35 ha burnt (0.021% of the place) |
| March 2026 | 0.0 ha burnt (0.000% of the place) |
| April 2026 | 1.7 ha burnt (0.001% of the place) |
| May 2026 | 1,400 ha burnt (0.85% of the place) |
| June 2026 | not out yet |
| July 2026 | not out yet |
| August 2026 | not out yet |
| September 2026 | not out yet |
| October 2026 | not out yet |
| Month | Detections | Nominal or high confidence | NOAA-20 (second reading) | Burnt | Share of the place | Land seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 30 | 25 | 49 | not out yet | · | · |
| September 2026 | 17 | 16 | 13 | not out yet | · | · |
| August 2026 | 88 | 86 | 90 | not out yet | · | · |
| July 2026 | 203 | 201 | 287 | not out yet | · | · |
| June 2026 | 145 | 141 | 195 | not out yet | · | · |
| May 2026 | 76 | 74 | 74 | 1,400 ha | 0.85% | 100% |
| April 2026 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 1.7 ha | 0.001% | 99% |
| March 2026 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.0 ha | 0.000% | 100% |
| February 2026 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 35 ha | 0.021% | 100% |
| January 2026 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 0.0 ha | 0.000% | 100% |
| December 2025 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 ha | 0.000% | 100% |
| November 2025 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 ha | 0.000% | 100% |
NOAA-20 carries the same instrument as S-NPP and passes about 50 minutes apart, so its count is a second reading of the same fires, not extra fires. “Land seen” is the share of the place’s land the burnt-area product saw often enough that month to tell.
The worst years
- 2012928 fire detections, most in May 2012
- 2014835 fire detections, most in June 2014
- 2017832 fire detections, most in June 2017
By hectares burnt (whole years from 2019): 2019, 5,901 ha (3.6% of the place); 2020, 5,641 ha (3.4% of the place); 2021, 5,439 ha (3.3% of the place).
Every year since 2012
| Year | Fire detections | Burnt | Share of the place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (10 months) | 585 | 5 months out | · |
| 2025 | 657 | 4,988 ha | 3.0% |
| 2024 | 789 | 5,045 ha | 3.1% |
| 2023 | 750 | 4,232 ha | 2.6% |
| 2022 | 728 | 4,812 ha | 2.9% |
| 2021 | 726 | 5,439 ha | 3.3% |
| 2020 | 785 | 5,641 ha | 3.4% |
| 2019 | 729 | 5,901 ha | 3.6% |
| 2018 | 706 | 6 months out | · |
| 2017 | 832 | · | · |
| 2016 | 556 | · | · |
| 2015 | 719 | · | · |
| 2014 | 835 | · | · |
| 2013 | 712 | · | · |
| 2012 (11 months) | 928 | · | · |
Detections from February 2012 (S-NPP); burnt area from July 2018, so whole years of it from 2019. A larger place’s figures are the sums of its 2026 wards.
Each ward
- Ward 1 (Stretford)
- Ward 2 (Lakeside, Lakeside Estates)
- Ward 3 (Orange Farm, Stretford)
- Ward 4 (Orange Farm)
- Ward 5 (Drieziek)
- Ward 6 (Althea AH, Ennerdale South)
- Ward 7 (Ennerdale, Finetown)
- Ward 8 (Lehae, Lawley)
- Ward 9 (Greyville)
- Ward 10 (Lenasia, Klipriviersoog)
- Ward 11 (Klipspruit-Wes)
- Ward 12 (Tshiawelo)
- Ward 13 (Protea Glen)
- Ward 14 (Protea North)
- Ward 15 (Senaoane)
- Ward 16 (Mapetla)
- Ward 17 (Eldoradopark)
- Ward 18 (Nancefield)
- Ward 19 (Dlamini)
- Ward 20 (Tladi, Naledi)
- Ward 21 (Moletsane, Tladi)
- Ward 22 (Pimville)
- Ward 23 (Bassonia, Glenanda)
- Ward 24 (Armadale, Devland)
- Ward 25 (Klipspruit)
- Ward 26 (Power Park, Motsoaledi View)
- Ward 27 (Aeroton, Diepkloof)
- Ward 28 (Orlando Ekhaya)
- Ward 29 (Noordgesig)
- Ward 30 (Orlando Ekhaya, Orlando East)
- Ward 31 (Orlando East)
- Ward 32 (Antwerp, Buccleuch)
- Ward 33 (Molapo, Moroka)
- Ward 34 (Jabulani)
- Ward 35 (Jabavu)
- Ward 36 (Mofolo)
- Ward 37 (Mofolo South)
- Ward 38 (Dube)
- Ward 39 (Orlando, Orlando West)
- Ward 40 (Orlando, Orlando West)
- Ward 41 (Meadowlands East)
- Ward 42 (Soweto, Meadowlands West)
- Ward 43 (Meadowlands West, Meadowlands East)
- Ward 44 (Soteba, Dobsonville)
- Ward 45 (Soteba)
- Ward 46 (Jabulani, Dobsonville)
- Ward 47 (Mofolo North)
- Ward 48 (Dobsonville)
- Ward 49 (Leratong Village, Dobsonville)
- Ward 50 (Thulani Park, Dobsonville Gardens)
- Ward 51 (Zola)
- Ward 52 (Dobsonville Gardens, Emndeni)
- Ward 53 (Slovoville, Stesa AH)
- Ward 54 (Booysens Reserve, Crown Gardens)
- Ward 55 (Aspen Lakes, Chrisville)
- Ward 56 (Gleneagles, Linmeyer)
- Ward 57 (Elandspark, Electron)
- Ward 58 (Crosby, Fordsburg)
- Ward 59 (Johannesburg, Hillbrow)
- Ward 60 (Braamfontein, Cottesloe)
- Ward 61 (Maboneng Precinct)
- Ward 62 (Hillbrow, Berea)
- Ward 63 (Hillbrow)
- Ward 64 (Berea, Bertrams)
- Ward 65 (Denver, Rosherville)
- Ward 66 (Bezuidenhoutsvallei, De Wetshof)
- Ward 67 (Bellevue, Yeoville)
- Ward 68 (Riverlea)
- Ward 69 (Brixton, Coronationville)
- Ward 70 (Fleurhof, Florida)
- Ward 71 (Davidsonville, Groblerpark)
- Ward 72 (Fairmount, Glenhazel)
- Ward 73 (Houghton Estate, Killarney)
- Ward 74 (Abbotsford, Birdhaven)
- Ward 75 (Kew, Alexandra)
- Ward 76 (Alexandra, Kew)
- Ward 77 (Ivory Park, Maokeng)
- Ward 78 (Ntshonalanga)
- Ward 79 (Rabie Ridge, Ntshonalanga)
- Ward 80 (Rabie Ridge)
- Ward 81 (Bramley Gardens, Kew)
- Ward 82 (Bosmont, Claremont)
- Ward 83 (Breaunanda, Helderkruin)
- Ward 84 (Roodepoort, Creswell Park)
- Ward 85 (Carenvale, Florida Park)
- Ward 86 (Albertskroon, Albertville)
- Ward 87 (Aukland Park, Forest Town)
- Ward 88 (Berario, Blackheath)
- Ward 89 (Constantia Kloof, Floracliffe)
- Ward 90 (Craighall Park, Dunkeld)
- Ward 91 (Atholl Gardens, Illovo)
- Ward 92 (Halfway House, Randjespark)
- Ward 93 (Magaliessig, Paulshof)
- Ward 94 (Beaulieu, Fourways)
- Ward 95 (Diepsloot)
- Ward 96 (Broadacres AH, Lion Park Informal Settlement)
- Ward 97 (Radiokop, Eagle Canyon Golf Estate)
- Ward 98 (Boskruin, Bromhof)
- Ward 99 (Aldara Park, Blairgowrie)
- Ward 100 (Cosmo City)
- Ward 101 (Meadowhurst, Noordhang)
- Ward 102 (Randburg, Bordeaux)
- Ward 103 (Sandton, Benmore Gardens)
- Ward 104 (Beverley Gardens, Ferndale)
- Ward 105 (Alexandra, Eastgate)
- Ward 106 (Johannesburg North, Kleve Hill Park)
- Ward 107 (Alexandra)
- Ward 108 (Alexandra, Marlboro)
- Ward 109 (Eastgate, Gallo Manor)
- Ward 110 (Midrand, Austin View)
- Ward 111 (Rabie Ridge, Ivory Park)
- Ward 112 (Blue Hills, Carlswald)
- Ward 113 (Diepsloot)
- Ward 114 (Northgate, Cosmo City)
- Ward 115 (Bloubosrand, Cedar Lakes)
- Ward 116 (Alexandra)
- Ward 117 (Rosebank, Parkhurst)
- Ward 118 (Bruma, Cyrildene)
- Ward 119 (Devland, Naturena)
- Ward 120 (Lenasia South)
- Ward 121 (Hopefield, Lawley)
- Ward 122 (Lehae, Vlakfontein)
- Ward 123 (Doornfontein, Jeppestown)
- Ward 124 (Johannesburg, Booysens)
- Ward 125 (Abmarie AH, Alan Manor)
- Ward 126 (Allen's Nek, Honeydew)
- Ward 127 (Wilfordon, Leratong Village)
- Ward 128 (Tshepisong)
- Ward 129 (Thulani Park)
- Ward 130 (Doornkop)
- Ward 131 (Evaton North, Stretford)
- Ward 132 (Barbeque Downs, Megawatt Park)
- Ward 133 (Ivory Park)
- Ward 134 (Northgate, Sundowner)
- Ward 135 (Protea Glen, West Rand AH)
Places in each ward: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Everything we hold for City of Johannesburg, on one page
Source
Seen from space by American and European satellites: not fires reported on the ground.
How we worked this out
What we changed: we counted FIRMS’s detections (presumed vegetation fires only) by the 2026 ward their position falls in, and summed CLMS’s burned fraction times each pixel’s area over each ward; municipalities, districts and provinces are the sums of their wards.
Fire detections: we acknowledge the use of data and/or imagery from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), part of NASA’s LANCE (VIIRS 375 m, S-NPP and NOAA-20). Burnt area: generated using European Union’s Copernicus Land Monitoring Service information (Burnt Area 300 m version 4, DOI 10.2909/8fa58061-28ab-49bb-9b77-c26b50733e34), modified; this does not mean the European Union endorses us.
Dataset: burnt area and fire, release of 12 November 2026.