| Total Area: | >760,000 hectares (1.8 million acres) |
| Total Fires: | 13,489 |
| Location: | Pantanal, Cerrado, Amazon rainforest |
In 2024, 13,489 severe wildfires burned 32,000 hectares of tropical wetland in Brazil's Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul and several more areas in the Cerrado and Amazon. According to satellite data from the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research, the number of fires from 2024's beginning to 10 June showed a 935% increase compared to the same period in 2023 with 1,315 fires being reported compared to 127 fires in 2023.[1] [2]
Climate scientists noted that the 2024 Brazil wildfire season started earlier than typical seasons which start around July, and was also more intense this year due to decreased rainfall in certain regions leading to prolonged drought.[3] Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pledged to stop illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 to help reduce the impact of global warming.
On 1 July, collected satellite data indicated that at least 13,489 wildfires had occurred since the start of the year, the most amount of wildfires in the first half of the year in 20 years, and up 61% from 2023. Brazilian Greenpeace spokesman Romulo Batista stated that global warming and decreased rainfall created dryer environments that caused vegetation to be more dry and thus be more susceptible to spreading fires.
Throughout the first two weeks of June, 2,639 fires burned 32,000 hectares of the Pantanal wetlands, six times the highest number of fires in the region for June compared to any prior year.[4] The number rose to over 760,000 hectares (1.8 million acres) by 9 July, burning over 4% of the 16.9 million hectares (42 million acres) of wetland. Massive areas of land bearing thick shrubbery and wildlife were burnt into a "carpet of white ash" with pieces of debris rising and falling around the affected areas. The intensity and range of the wildfires were exacerbated by strong winds blowing at up to 40 km per hour.[5] The prominent fires threatened many of the natural fauna including anteaters, jaguars, tapirs, caimans, and anacondas. A total of 3,538 wildfires were recorded in the region up to 1 July, up 40% compared to 2020, the year with the most wildfires in the region. Efforts to extinguish the fires were complicated by high winds and the terrain of the wetlands making access and movement difficult.
The smoke from the wildfires caused several hospitals in Corumbá to fill with victims of smoke inhalation and respiratory symptoms, affecting children <5 years old) and senior citizens over 65 the worst. Animal rescue workers reported hundreds of animals were killed due to smoke inhalation and burns, which included frogs, snakes, monkeys, and jaguars.
The Cerrado had 13,229 wildfires occur in the first half of the year. The widespread fires caused the sky to fill with smoke clouds and turn a red color, according to residents.
In April, state authorities of Mato Grosso do Sul proclaimed an "environmental state of emergency" due to low levels of rainfall disrupting the usual seasonal flooding, exacerbating conditions for potential wildfires in many parts of the region.
Mato Grosso do Sul's state government would then issue an emergency declaration on 24 June. Brazil's federal government increased the size of its wildfire response taskforce, while Brazil's air force dropped 48,000 litres of water on July 6-7. Firefighter Cabo Sena reported that wildfires would often reignite within 24 hours of them being put out. Fire prevention leaflets were distributed to local civilians in the region of the wildfires, with several experts and citizens requesting that Brazil's government invests more in fire prevention education.
In August 2024, the Bolivian government has asked Brazil for support in fighting forest fires. In the Pantanal, a border area between the countries, the Serra do Amolar was recently hit by fire. The request for help was sent to the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and is being evaluated by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[6]