Wildfires in the Amazon will be less severe in 2025, says Brazilian Environmental Ministry
24 de March de 2025
By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium
MANAUS (AM) – The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) met on the 18th of this month at its headquarters in Brasília (DF) with other federal agencies to discuss climate outlooks for 2025 and the risks of wildfires. According to forecasts, there is a possibility of wildfires in the Amazon, but they are not expected to be as severe as those recorded in 2024.
Representatives from agencies such as the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), the National Centre for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (Cemaden), the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA), the Centre for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies (CPTEC), and the Environmental Satellite Applications Laboratory of the Meteorology Department at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Lasa/UFRJ) presented studies on meteorological conditions, water availability, and forecasts for drought and fires in Brazilian biomes over the coming months.
Furthermore, the forecast indicates that the climate phenomenon known as La Niña, which results in increased rainfall, is expected to have a shorter duration and lower intensity than the recorded average. Above-average temperatures are expected to continue affecting the country, particularly the Northern Region.
“The data points to another critical year and puts us on high alert,” stated André Lima, the special secretary for Deforestation Control and Environmental Territorial Management at MMA.
Actions
The Minister of the MMA, Marina Silva, signed an ordinance at the end of March this year outlining measures to prevent and combat wildfires in 2025. The ordinance declares an environmental emergency due to wildfire risks in specific regions and periods. The document also identifies areas vulnerable to wildfires throughout the country and the times of highest risk.
Among the measures is the hiring of more firefighters to assist in areas with fire outbreaks. In 2025, 231 federal forest firefighters will be hired, including 116 from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and 115 from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). These hires represent a 25% increase compared to the previous year.
Another measure includes the approval of resources from the Amazon Fund to strengthen the Fire Brigades of the states of Amazonas, Pará, Roraima, Maranhão, Amapá, and Mato Grosso. Each state will receive around R$45 million from a total of R$405 million. The states of Acre and Rondônia are also set to receive approximately R$21.7 million and R$34 million, respectively.
Fire Outbreaks
In 2024, Brazil recorded 278,000 fire outbreaks. This was the worst figure since 2010 when 319,000 cases were registered. The number of fire outbreaks increased by 46% compared to the 189,000 cases recorded in 2023, according to data from Inpe’s BD Queimadas programme.
The highest number of fire outbreaks in the country was recorded in the Legal Amazon region, which saw a 42% increase compared to the previous year. This figure is the highest since 2007 when 186,000 fire outbreaks were recorded.
The state of Pará had 56,000 fire outbreaks last year, representing a 34% increase, the highest since 2010. In Amazonas, around 25,000 fire outbreaks were recorded, reflecting a 30% increase. In 2023, the state of Amazonas had recorded a 7% decline.