In brief
Brazil’s Amazon saw a dramatic cut in fire‑affected land in 2025, burning only 3.1 million hectares versus a record 15.8 million in 2024. The figure is the lowest since MapBiomas began tracking in 1985 and signals progress toward President Lula’s zero‑deforestation pledge. Climate experts attribute the drop partly to La Niña weather patterns and sustained fire‑management efforts, though El Niño could reverse gains. The decline mirrors a nationwide reduction in burnt area, with Brazil’s total fires falling from 30 million hectares in 2024 to 12.7 million in 2025. While hopeful, scientists caution that prevention must continue as fire conditions remain high.
Brazil’s Amazon burned 3.1 million hectares in 2025, the smallest amount since 1985.
A MapBiomas report shows a dramatic fall from the 15.8 million hectares burned in 2024, the highest on record for the ecoregion.
This reduction marks progress toward President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s pledge of zero deforestation, a key element of his re‑election campaign.
In 2024 the Amazon experienced its worst fires in over two decades, driven by climate extremes and human activity, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Vera Arruda, a researcher at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, explains that the 31% drop in 2025 is encouraging but not a guarantee of a lasting trend. She stresses the need to maintain prevention efforts.
The MapBiomas data also show that overall Brazil reported 12.7 million hectares burned in 2025, down from 30 million in 2024. The 2007 peak of 30.7 million hectares remains the all‑time high.
The decline is partly credited to cooler La Niña conditions that followed the record‑warm El Niño, helping to ease the 2024 fires.
However, MapBiomas warns that El Niño could extend the dry season this year, increasing fire risk.
Alternate images illustrate the scale of Amazon devastation in 2024, with blackened forest patches against verdant landscapes.
