The Pantanal Region In Brazil, The World’s Largest Region Of Wetlands, Recorded The Worst Wildfires, In 2024

Monday, July 15, 2024, 12:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Elaine Metz, PhD Environmental Sciences: Englebrook Independent News,

MATO GROSSO, BR.- Since the start of 2024, one of the greatest and largest wetland regions, the Pantanal, has been experiencing the worst wildfire year in recorded history.

     The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland and one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth. It is the noted home of many important and endangered species, such as jaguars and giant river otters, both of which have been considered keystone species. Others include howler monkeys and many human communities located throughout the region.

     Wildfires have been breaking out over this natural wonder since the start of 2024 and have intensified since the end of May, earlier than the expected start of the wildfire season, which usually ramps up in July. Already this year, wildfires have claimed over 760,000 hectares or 1.8 million acres of wetlands.

     According to Brazil’s Institute for Space Research, this is an increase in the number of fires by 1500% compared to the previous year. Between January and June last year, 127 fires were reported, but in the same period this year, 1,315 fires have been reported. Researchers from the Federal University of Mato Grasso and the non-governmental organization SOS Pantanal are predicting that 2024 will become the worst wildfire year on record, exceeding the destruction the region experienced in 2020, with the previous record-breaking number of fires when 30% of Pantanal was destroyed.

     Both humans as well as animals are suffering from continued smoke inhalation, burns, loss of their homes, and in many cases, the loss of their lives. In addition, wetlands are important areas of carbon stores, but when burned, carbon dioxide is released, which climate scientists affirm has a negative on the climate. During the 2020 fires, an estimated 115 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was released from the Pantanal.

     The increase in fires is due to the disruption of the flood pulse that occurs every year and fills the area with water during the rainy season and drains in the dry season. 

     According to biologists at SOS Pantanal, the floods used to last around six months, but now they last only two to three months. In addition, the Pantanal Wetland has lost 68% of its water volume since 1985. Conditions are continuing to dry due to a steady decrease in the yearly amounts, which makes it even more likely that catastrophic wildfires will continue to increase each year at an alarming rate.