Brazil burned an area larger than Pernambuco in the first nine months of 2022

A Amazon, in turn, was the biome with the greatest increase in burned area compared to the same month in 2021: 71% (1.080.388 hectares more). Compared to August this year, the increase was 52%, in the case of Amazon, and 149%, in Cerrado.

Deforestation doubles in the Cerrado and accelerates in areas without land information

Deforestation in the Cerrado more than doubled in August and September this year compared to the same months last year. There were 144 thousand hectares deforested in the period in 2022, an increase of 135% over the 65 thousand hectares deforested in 2021. The increase in activity occurred mainly in areas without land information, which draws the attention of researchers. These areas account for 45% of the deforested area in the two months, compared to 12% in the previous year. Private rural properties account for 48% of the entire area deforested in the biome in the period, compared to 77% last year.

With these numbers, Brazil accumulated a total of 11.749.938 hectares burned between January and September this year – an area larger than the entire state of Pernambuco. There was an increase in the burned area of ​​40% in the Amazon (more than 1,6 million hectares) and an impressive 1.500% in Pampa (27.317 hectares).

All the record-breaking states in fires are located on agricultural frontiers, with Mato Grosso being the state that burned the most in the first 9 months of 2022, concentrating almost ¼ of what was burned in Brazil in that period.

September 2022 numbers:

• 5.825.520 hectares burned – an area that represents 50% of what was burned in 2022;
• This number was 9% higher than in the same month in 2021 (520.553 thousand ha more);
• 71% of the burned area was in native vegetation, the majority in natural formations and forests;
• Among the types of natural formations, savannah formations were the most affected by fire: 32% of the burned area;
• The biome with the largest burned area was the Cerrado, with 2.973.443 ha burned, 13% more than in the same month of 2021;
• The Amazon was the biome with the greatest increase in burned area compared to the same month in 2021, with a 71% increase (1.080.388 ha more); It is
• The municipalities of São Félix do Xingu and Altamira were those with the largest burned area.

Read also

Brazil can reduce methane emissions by 36% by 2030; garbage collectors' cooperative gains franchises and +

See highlights from Curto Green this Monday (17): report points out that if Brazil expands existing policies in agriculture, energy, sanitation and deforestation control, it could reduce methane emissions by 36% by 2030; Portugal abandons coal and invests in renewable energy; study shows that the recovery of degraded pastures in Brazil could cost more than R$380 billion; YouGreen, the garbage collectors' cooperative that gains franchises across Brazil; and a free E-book where USP researchers explain the impact of microplastics on ecosystems.