Brazil sees record wildfires amid drought, suspected criminal activity, and devastating river dry-up

Wildfires in drought-stricken Brazil have reached their highest level since 2010 this August, with government data pointing to potential criminal actions as the cause of the surge, according to news reports.

Environment Minister Marina Silva stated that the country is “at war” with the fires, describing the unprecedented increase as “unusual” and confirming that federal police are investigating the matter.

In August, the biome recorded 38,266 fire hotspots, more than double the number from the same period last year, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). Over 80% of these fires were concentrated in the states of Para (36%), Amazonas (29%), and Mato Grosso (16%).

The drought has also severely affected the Amazon River, the world’s largest by discharge, which serves as a vital source of food and transportation for over 2 million Indigenous people.

By October 2023, the river had dropped to its lowest level since record-keeping began in 1902, leaving entire communities without access to fuel, food, and clean water.

Toxic smoke and dust from the fires have spread across the region, impacting at least 11 states, including the cities of Brasília and São Paulo, leading to school closures and flight cancellations.