New Delhi, July 22: The Brazilian Amazon recorded its lowest level of forest fires in four decades in 2025, offering relief after the devastating wildfire season of 2024. However, scientists have warned that the possible arrival of a super El Niño could significantly increase the risk of fresh forest fires in the coming years.
According to a report released by Brazil’s environmental monitoring network MapBiomas around 3.1 million hectares of the Amazon burned in 2025 the smallest burned area since satellite based records began in 1985. Burned areas across Brazil also declined to their lowest level since 2018.
The sharp decline follows the catastrophic 2024 fire season, when an unprecedented drought fuelled widespread wildfires across the world’s largest tropical rainforest. Most of the fires were linked to human activities, particularly the use of fire for clearing agricultural land.
MapBiomas attributed the improvement to several factors, including a delayed rainy season between 2024 and 2025, which shortened the typical burning period in many regions. Reduced deforestation also helped limit the amount of combustible vegetation available to feed fires.
Researchers said heightened public awareness following the severe 2024 wildfire season also encouraged local communities to respond more quickly to fire outbreaks, helping prevent large scale spread.
Despite the positive trend in the Amazon, experts cautioned that Brazil’s Cerrado savanna continued to experience high levels of burning, indicating that wildfire risks remain significant in other ecosystems.
Scientists also warned that forecasts of a potential super El Niño could bring prolonged dry conditions and substantially increase the likelihood of forest fires across the region. El Niño events are typically associated with warmer temperatures and reduced rainfall in parts of South America, creating conditions favourable for wildfires.
Protecting the Amazon remains critical for global climate action because the rainforest acts as one of the world largest carbon sinks, absorbing vast amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Official government data also showed that deforestation in the first quarter of 2026 fell to its lowest level of the decade, supporting Brazil’s target of eliminating illegal deforestation by 2030.
While the decline in forest fires has been welcomed by environmental experts, they stressed that continued monitoring, stronger forest protection measures and preparedness for future climate extremes will be essential to prevent a repeat of the devastating 2024 wildfire season.