Amazon Fires Drop Sharply in 2025, MapBiomas Says
MapBiomas reports a plunge in Amazon deforestation fire area, 3.1 million hectares burned in 2025 versus 15.8 million the previous year.
The trend marks the smallest burned area since the organisation began tracking in 1985, giving a glimmer of hope amid fierce climate extremes.
“The 31% fall compared to the historical average—thanks to the lowest number of fires recorded in 41 years—is positive news, but we cannot yet consider this a trend,” said Vera Arruda, a researcher at IPAM and MapBiomas coordinator.
The data also show a sharp decline across Brazil as a whole: 12.7 million hectares burned in 2025, down from 30 million the year before.
Cooling La Niña conditions helped curb the 2024 fires, while the return of El Niño could raise the risk of a new dry season.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had pledged “zero deforestation” in 2023, and the lower 2025 figures were seen as a boost to his re‑election campaign in October.
Scientists warn that the Amazon’s role in sequestering carbon remains critical; continued deforestation threatens global climate stability.
For visual context, see the interactive map below.
Image Source: Evaristo Sa / AFP via Getty Images
