Brazil’s Burned Area Surges 79% in 2024, Exceeding Italy’s Size

Brazil’s burned area increased by 79% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to MapBiomas’ Fire Monitor. The devastated area reached 30,867,676 hectares last year, surpassing Italy’s total territory.

Native vegetation accounted for 73% of the burned area, with 25% in forest formations. Pasture fires made up 21.9% of the total in 2024. The 2024 burned area was the largest since the Fire Monitor series began in 2019.

The Amazon biome suffered the most, with 17.9 million hectares burned. The Cerrado followed with 9.7 million hectares, then the Pantanal with 1.9 million. The Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, and Pampa also experienced significant burns.

Ane Alencar, Science Director at IPAM and MapBiomas Fire coordinator, called 2024 an atypical and alarming year for fires in Brazil. The increase affected almost all biomes, especially forest areas that are usually less impacted.

Felipe Martenexen from MapBiomas Fire emphasized that fire in the Amazon is not a natural phenomenon. It is introduced by human actions and does not align with the region’s ecological dynamics.

Brazil’s Burned Area Surges 79% in 2024, Exceeding Italy’s Size

Pará state, which will host COP30 this year, suffered the most with 7.3 million hectares burned (24% of the total). Mato Grosso and Tocantins states followed with 6.8 and 2.7 million hectares burned, respectively.

The dramatic increase in burned areas raises concerns about Brazil’s environmental policies and their effectiveness in protecting vital ecosystems. It also highlights the urgent need for more robust fire prevention and control measures across the country’s diverse biomes.