In 2024, Brazil experienced a dramatic year with fires consuming over 30.8 million hectares of wilderness, an area equivalent to that of Italy. This figure, the highest ever recorded since monitoring began by the MapBiomas platform, is 79% higher than the previous year. The Amazon, in particular, was devastated, marking a worrying increase in wildfires in the country.
In 2024, Brazil suffered unprecedented wildfires, destroying an area of 30.86 million hectares, which is a larger expanse than Italy. This figure represents an increase of 79% compared to the previous year and constitutes the largest record observed since the launch of the MapBiomas tracking program in 2019. The Amazon was the most affected, accounting for 58% of the burned land, with a major impact on forests, surpassing grasslands and pastures. This situation, exacerbated by a severe drought and amplified by the El Niño phenomenon, could pose problems as Brazil prepares to host COP30 in Belém. This observation also demonstrates the importance of combating climate change in addition to protecting against deforestation.
An unprecedented ecological disaster in Brazil in 2024
In 2024, Brazil faced a catastrophic ecological situation. The fires ravaged an area of 30.86 million hectares, equivalent to the size of Italy. This alarming figure, published by MapBiomas, reveals an increase of 79% compared to 2023.
Impact of wildfires on Brazilian biomes
The Amazon rainforest, one of the most important biomes in the world, was severely impacted, with 58% of the burned area concentrated in this region. This surpassed the total damage caused by fire across Brazil the previous year. The picture is alarming, as it illustrates how wildfires can compromise biodiversity and fragile ecosystems, requiring decades of regeneration.
The role of human activities cannot be overlooked. Agricultural practices such as burning pastures and deforestation form a significant part of this problem. Despite progress made under President Lula da Silva to reduce this phenomenon, wildfires often conceal criminal acts carried out by economic interests eager to take advantage of cleared lands.
Upcoming challenges for forest conservation
Ane Alencar, an influential member of MapBiomas, emphasized that protecting forests involves a broader effort going well beyond merely combating deforestation. Addressing climate change is essential to mitigate the recurrence of such crises, requiring ongoing international mobilization. Experts fear a fateful repetition in 2025 if significant measures are not adopted to strengthen the ecological resilience of the country.
