Amazon fires in Brazil spike dramatically as El Niño and climate change intensify

Brazil’s Amazonas state reported 1,679 fires during the first two weeks of October, a 253% increase compared with the same timeframe last year, according to the Amazon surveillance system. Scientists attribute the spike to an unprecedented El Niño event and accelerating climate change, which together intensify heat and water stress across the region. Authorities suspect many blazes were intentionally set to clear land, a practice that endangers biodiversity and public health.

Thick smoke has prompted emergency declarations in at least 36 municipalities, caused respiratory problems for residents such as retired farmer Luiz Rios, and forced the cancellation of outdoor activities and school closures in Manaus. Federal government aircraft and civil-defence brigades have been dispatched, while environment minister João Paulo Capobianco observed fires inside protected areas and announced a probe. Researchers from the Amazon Environmental Research Institute warned that the combined pressures threaten both the ecosystem and local livelihoods.