2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires — Wildfires in Brazil Amazon fire forest
The 2019 Amazon wildfire surge drew global attention to accelerating deforestation, threatening the world's largest terrestrial carbon sink.
Key Facts
- Fires across Brazil (by Aug 29)
- More than 80,000
- Year-to-year increase in Brazil
- 77%
- Forest area lost in Amazon biome
- 906,000 hectares
- Brazilian troops deployed
- 44,000+ troops
- G7 emergency aid pledged
- 22 million USD
- Estimated economic cost to Brazil
- 957 billion – 3.5 trillion (30-year) USD
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Slash-and-burn agricultural practices, combined with weakened environmental protections under Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro's pro-business policies after January 2019, contributed to a sharp rise in fire activity during the Amazonian dry season across Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.
In 2019, Brazil's INPE recorded over 80,000 fires across the country by late August, a 77% year-to-year increase, with Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru reporting tens of thousands more. Smoke darkened São Paulo and NASA satellite imagery confirmed the scale, drawing intense international scrutiny.
Facing pressure at the G7 summit and threats to the EU–Mercosur trade deal, Bolsonaro deployed over 44,000 troops and issued a 60-day fire-prevention decree. The fires raised broad concerns over biodiversity loss, indigenous communities, excess CO2 emissions, and potential economic losses estimated up to US$3.5 trillion over 30 years.