Brazilian Amazon Sees Sharp Drop in Acres Burned
Last year, the acreage burned in the Brazilian Amazon reached its lowest level in at least four decades. Read more on E360 →
In 2024, the Brazilian Amazon experienced a significant decrease in the number of acres burned compared to the previous record-high year, according to a new analysis by MapBiomas. Last year, a total of 7.7 million acres were scorched, a stark contrast to the 39 million acres burned in 2023. This drop in acreage can be attributed to the transition from a warming El Niño to a cooling La Niña weather pattern.
The El Niño phenomenon had fueled the most severe drought in decades, leading to an outbreak of fires on recently deforested farmlands that rapidly spread to the surrounding rainforest. Despite Brazil's efforts to curb intentional forest destruction, the region saw a surge in fires due to the deepening drought. However, the onset of La Niña in 2025 marked a shift towards more rainfall, resulting in the lowest number of fires in 41 years of record-keeping.
While this recent decline in burned acres is encouraging for the Amazon's health, experts caution against interpreting it as a long-term trend, as an imminent El Niño could usher in another drought. Nonetheless, Brazil has the potential to mitigate fire spread through measures such as planting native vegetation. It is noteworthy that since 1985, 64 percent of all land burned in Brazil has experienced multiple burnings, with most areas succumbing to fire again within just four years, highlighting a critical gap in current climate models that fail to account for such recurrent natural emissions.
Written by urgent.news from Yale Environment 360's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
