Rondônia state declares emergency over forest fires
The government of Rondônia state, in North Brazil, has declared emergency situation due to forest fires. The decree published Tuesday (Aug. 27) cites the “critical drought situation” that has affected the region since the second half of 2023 due to the significant reduction in rainfall. According to the document, the lack of rainfall is likely to persist for at least another three months.
This year, the state has recorded 4,197 fire outbreaks in cities and 690 in conservation areas—totaling 4,887 hotspots, double the number recorded in 2023. Fires have destroyed 107,216 hectares of forest.
Hotspots
Data from 2024 points to a 43.2 percent surge in the number of hotspots in the Amazon compared to the same period in 2023, with Rondônia being one of the most affected areas in the region, up 23.7 percent in August alone.
The state government reiterates that “the declaration of emergency is motivated by the intense forest fires and low relative humidity affecting Rondônia, harming both urban and rural populations, as well as environmental protection areas, causing significant impacts on agricultural and livestock activities, river navigability, and other economic activities that are essential for the people.”
