| 2024 South American wildfires | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date(s) | January 2024 – ongoing |
| Location | Primarily Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 346,112 hotspots[1] |
| Total area | 85,866,867 hectares (212.18165 million acres) per GWIS[2] |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 148 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 134 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | |
The 2024 South American wildfires refer to a mega colossal series of wildfires that significantly impacted several neighboring South American countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Based on Global Wildfire Information System satellite imaging, about 346,112 wildfire hotspots damaged or destroyed 85,866,867 hectares (~212,181,650 acres). The massive area burned was primarily caused by anthropogenic climate change and the resulting consequences of the 2023–2024 South American drought on fire conditions. The wildfires caused significant deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, and also impacted several other international biomes including the Pantanal wetlands, becoming the second largest series of wildfires in the 21st century next to the 2023–24 Australian bushfire season, with the 2024 Brazil wildfires alone reaching fourth in area burned.[3]
- ^ Spring, Jake; Eschenbacher, Stefanie (2024-09-13). "A continent ablaze: South America surpasses record for fires". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "GWIS - Statistics Portal". Global Wildfire Information System. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ Evershed, Nick; Ball, Andy; Morton, Adam. "How big are the fires burning in Australia's north? Interactive map shows they've burned an area larger than Spain". the Guardian. Retrieved 2023-11-19.