Fires
Greenpeace
https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/story/54304/amazon-rainforest-fires-2022-facts-causes-and-climate-impacts/
On August 22, 2022, a staggering 3,358 fires were started in the Amazon in a single day (Greenburg, 2022). This occurred during a period of rampant deforestation while Brazil was under President Bolsonaro—a time marked by weakened environmental protections. These numbers highlight the critical problem of fire in the Amazon rainforest.
Unlike temperate or boreal forests, fires in the Amazon are almost entirely man-made, typically set to clear land for other uses—most commonly cattle ranching and large-scale agriculture (Greenburg, 2022).
The consequences of fire go far beyond immediate forest loss. As deforestation and climate change reduce evapotranspiration, the Amazon’s moist, fire-resistant rainforest begins to shift into a drier, seasonal forest. In this transitional state, the forest becomes increasingly vulnerable to uncontrolled wildfires. If this continues, a savanna-like ecosystem could take over—where wildfires are not just likely, but inevitable (Greenpeace, 2021).
Environmental Impacts of Amazon Fires
Carbon Emissions: Most of the carbon in a tropical rainforest is stored in its dense vegetation. When trees burn, this carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to:
Climate change
Ocean acidification, as excess CO₂ dissolves into seawater and lowers pH levels.
Carbon Monoxide (CO): Fires release carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that interferes with oxygen transport in animals and humans (Clean Air Fund, 2025).
Black Carbon (Soot):
Produced from incomplete combustion, black carbon is a major air pollutant.
When inhaled, it can damage respiratory systems in humans and wildlife (Kinase et al., 2025).
When deposited on surfaces, it can:
Lower the Earth's albedo (reflectivity), causing more heat to be absorbed and thus contributing further to global warming.
Coat leaves, reducing photosynthesis by blocking light and damaging plant tissue.
These cascading effects show how Amazon fires are not just a regional crisis, but a global one—contributing to climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss on an international scale.
References:
Greenburg, Chris. (September 5, 2022) Amazon rainforest fires 2022: Facts, causes, and climate impacts Greenpeace
(August 16, 2021) Why our forests are burning Rainforest Alliance
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/why-our-forests-are-burning/
(February 18, 2025) Wildfires, climate change and air pollution: a vicious cycle Wildfires are drastically increasing and wreaking more havoc on people and environment across borders. Tackling this urgent global challenge requires an interdisciplinary approach. Clean Air Fund
https://www.cleanairfund.org/news-item/wildfires-climate-change-and-air-pollution-a-vicious-cycle/
Kinase, Takeshi. Taketani, Fumikazu. Takigawa, Masayuki. Zhu, Chunmao. Kim, Yongwon. Mordovskoi, Petr. Kanaya, Yugo. (January 8, 2025) Long-term observations of black carbon and carbon monoxide in the Poker Flat Research Range, central Alaska, with a focus on forest wildfire emissions European Geosciences Union