In Brazil, wildfires destroyed an area larger than Italy last year, according to the monitoring platform MapBiomas. The affected area in 2024 was 79% larger compared to 2023, totaling 30,867,676 hectares, equivalent to over 308,676 square kilometers.
Italy, by comparison, has a total area of 302,073 square kilometers. This represents the largest increase recorded by MapBiomas’s fire monitor since its inception six years ago.
The monitor is a collaborative effort of NGOs, universities, and technology companies observing Brazilian regions. Severe drought is cited as one cause of the fires, which are also often human-induced.
Farmers clear forests by burning to prepare land for agriculture or livestock. Instances of fires starting in the middle of forests suggest potential criminal activity, a researcher told The Guardian.
Source: NOS