SÃO PAULO, SP (UOL/FOLHAPRESS)
The area burned across the country in February was 950 thousand hectares – an increase of 410% compared to the same month last year, according to a survey by the Fire Monitor, coordinated by Ipam (Amazon Environmental Research Institute).
The increase is mainly due to the advance of fires in Roraima. More than half (54%) of all the area burned in Brazil this year happened in the state.
Air quality in Boa Vista was “dangerous” this Monday (25), the worst possible classification for the Real-Time Air Quality Map. This Tuesday (26), the situation was already a little better, although it is still classified as “unhealthy”.
The city was covered in a cloud of smoke over the weekend, due to fires in the state and also in neighboring countries, such as Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.
An Ipam researcher explained that most of the areas affected by fires in Roraima are cultivated, a type of country vegetation. “The increase in fires in the state of Roraima is directly related to the dry period that occurs between the months of December and April, which was worsened by the El Niño phenomenon”, explained Felipe Martenexen. “Climatic conditions and the nature of the vegetation favor the spread of fire.”
Almost 2 million hectares were burned in 2024, according to Fire Monitor. After Roraima, the states with the most burned areas are Pará (475 thousand hectares) and Amazonas (136 thousand hectares).
