Around 3.1 million hectares burned, down from a record 15.8 million hectares in 2024. Researchers said cooler La Niña conditions contributed to the improvement, and said the sharp decline shows it is possible to reduce wildfire damage, while cautioning that continued prevention efforts remain essential to sustain the progress.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: Ivars Utināns;

The reduction extended across Brazil, where 12.7 million hectares burned in 2025 compared with 30 million the previous year. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who pledged to protect the Amazon, is expected to highlight the figures ahead of October’s presidential election.