{
  "id": 19890353,
  "title": "Amazon fires: Brazil's Pará state declares 120-day emergency amid severe drought",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/amazon-fires-brazils-para-state-declares-120-day-emergency-amid",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T00:08:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/11/1577197/amazon-fires-brazils-par%C3%A1-state-declares-120-day-emergency-amid-severe"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Brazilian state of Para has declared a 120-day emergency in response to a surge in forest fires within the Amazon basin, exacerbated by a severe drought linked to an intense El Nino climate phenomenon. As of the start of November, over 5,000 fires had been recorded in the state, surpassing the total number of fires during November of the previous year. Near 700 fires were active within the last two days. This emergency measure aims to restrict the use of fire for clearing pastureland, mobilize additional resources for extinguishing fires and prevent future outbreaks.\n\nThe Brazilian Amazon is experiencing the effects of El Nino, which has raised temperatures and led to drought conditions. Experts predict this year's El Nino to be the most powerful ever recorded. In Para state, with a population of 8.7 million, the drought is particularly severe, and the dry vegetation has further facilitated the spread of fires, posing significant threats to populations, forests, and economic activities. The state government has noted the risks to public health, as smoke from numerous fires is nearing urban areas.\n\nManaus, a city located in the neighboring state of Amazonas, suspended classes in early October due to the health hazards posed by smoke from hundreds of fires burning in the vicinity. The Amazon rainforest, the world's largest tropical forest, plays a crucial role in mitigating global warming, underscoring the importance of its conservation. In 2024, the Brazilian Amazon set a record for the number of forest fires. This year is anticipated to be even more severe, with the peak of the El Nino expected in December.",
  "summary": "BRASÍLIA: A northern Brazilian state has declared an environmental state of emergency due to hundreds of forest fires in the Amazon basin amid a severe drought linked to the El Nino climate phenomenon.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}