25/04/23
Brazilian wildfires burn 70pc less area in 1Q
Sao Paulo, 23 April (Argus) — Wildfires in Brazil scorched an area almost
equivalent to the size of Cyprus in January-March, but still 70pc less than in
the same period in 2024 as the rainy season was above average in most of the
north-central part of the country this year. The wildfires spread out over
912,900 hectares (ha) in the first three months of 2025, down from 2.1mn ha in
the same period of 2024, according to environmental network MapBiomas' fire
monitor researching program. The reduced burnt areas are related to the rainy
season in most of the country, but still-high wildfire levels in the Cerrado
biome showed that specific strategies are necessary for each biome to prevent
further climate-related impacts, researchers said. The Cerrado lost 91,700ha to
wildfires in the first quarter, up by 12pc from a year before and more than
double from the average since 2019. Burnt areas in the Atlantic forest also
increased 18,800ha in the period, up by 7pc from a year earlier.
Wildfire-damaged areas in the southern Pampa biome, or low grasslands, grew by
1.4pc to 6,600ha. The Amazon biome lost over 774,000ha to wildfires in the first
quarter of 2025, a 72pc drop from a year earlier, while it accounted for almost
52pc of burnt areas in March. The loss represented 84pc of the total burnt land
in the period. Burnt areas in the central-western Pantanal biome, or tropical
wetland, fell by 86pc in the first quarter to 10,900ha. The northeastern
Caatinga biome, or seasonally dry tropical forest, lost around 10,000ha in burnt
areas, down by 8pc from the same period in 2024. Reductions may not persist as a
drought season will begin in May and is expected to be severe, according to
Mapbiomas. Last year, an extended drought season prompted burnt areas to grow by
79pc from 2023. Northern Roraima state was the state to suffer the most from
wildfires in the period, with 415,700ha lost to wildfires during its distinct
drought season in the beginning of the year, while other states faced a rainy
season. Northern Para and northeastern Maranhao followed, with 208,600ha and
123,800ha of burnt areas, respectively. Wildfires hit over 24,730ha of soybean
fields in the period, a 29pc decrease from a year earlier, while burnt areas in
sugarcane fields fell by 31pc to around 7,280ha. Wildfires hit 106,600ha of the
country in March, a 86pc decrease from 674,900ha a year earlier. By João Curi
Burnt areas in March ha 2025 2024 Amazon 55,172 732,929 Cerrado 37,937 20,995
Atlantic Forest 9,262 4,509 Caatinga 2,296 755 Pampa 1,514 127 Pantanal 562
21,799 Total 106,641 781,114 — Mapbiomas - Monitor do fogo Send comments and
request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus
Media group . All rights reserved.