Wildfires in Amazonas increase in 2026, and fire reaches the electoral race

In October 2026, wildfires intensified across Amazonas. Between October 1 and 17, satellites recorded 1,830 heat hotspots, more than twice the number from the same period in 2025. Since January, the state had recorded 8,084 hotspots, an increase of 78%. The fires affected more than 674,000 hectares, exceeding the area of the Federal District.

Manaus experienced 14 consecutive smoky mornings. On October 17, the air-quality index reached 693, a level considered extremely dangerous. Fine particles reached 592 micrograms per cubic meter in one measurement, nearly 40 times the World Health Organization reference for a full day. Hotel guests needed masks, and ash repeatedly covered a pool.

Rain on October 22 brought relief to the capital, but smoke remained in parts of the interior. The pollution also disrupted firefighting. Ibama said aircraft had to stop flying because pilots could not see well enough to operate safely.

A fire hotspot is a point detected by satellite instruments because its surface temperature is unusually high. It usually indicates active fire or a recently burning area at the time of observation. Hotspot counts help reveal where fires are occurring and how frequently they appear, but they do not directly measure the size of each fire.

The distinction matters because one large fire may produce multiple detected points. Conversely, clouds, smoke, timing, or satellite resolution can affect what gets detected. Burned land is measured separately, usually in hectares, and describes the total area affected after fires spread. It is therefore a measure of extent, not a count of detected locations.

In Amazonas, Inpe recorded 8,084 hotspots during 2026 through October 17. Ibama separately estimated that fire had affected 674,000 hectares. The article compares hotspot numbers with 2025, but gives no 2025 burned-area figure, so the two measures cannot be compared directly.

The scale was large in both frequency and area. Inpe recorded 1,830 heat hotspots in Amazonas from October 1 through 17. That was more than twice the number recorded during the same period in 2025. Since the beginning of 2026, the state had registered 8,084 hotspots, representing a 78% increase.

Hotspots are detected heat points, while burned land describes the physical area affected. Ibama reported that fire had reached 674,000 hectares. That area was larger than the Federal District. The article does not provide a 2025 figure for burned hectares, so it supports a direct year-on-year comparison for hotspots, but not for total burned land.

These figures show why the fires became a major emergency. More detected fires coincided with dry vegetation and a lack of rain, conditions that helped flames spread. The situation also produced widespread smoke in Manaus and parts of the state, disrupting health and firefighting operations.

Drought removes moisture from plants and the ground. Dry vegetation ignites more easily because less water must evaporate before burning can continue. Once flames begin, dry leaves, branches, and other plant material provide readily available fuel. Wind and connected vegetation can then help the fire move across a larger area.

Dry conditions also affect smoke. Fires consuming more vegetation release gases and fine particles into the air. These particles can remain concentrated when weather does not clear them quickly. In the Amazonas episode, the article directly links the lack of rain and dry vegetation to faster-spreading flames. It does not provide a separate scientific breakdown of the smoke’s chemical composition.

The practical result was a wider emergency. Fire affected 674,000 hectares, while Manaus endured 14 smoky days. Rain on October 22 improved conditions in the capital, but smoke continued in parts of the interior. The figures show why rainfall and vegetation moisture matter for limiting fire spread and pollution.

Very polluted air can expose people to large amounts of fine smoke particles. These particles can make breathing difficult and create serious health risks, especially when concentrations become extreme. In Manaus, hotel guests needed masks because the smoke was so intense. The city remained covered by smoke for 14 consecutive days.

The worst reported moment came on October 17. The air-quality index reached 693, classified as extremely dangerous for health. Fine particles reached 592 micrograms per cubic meter in one measurement, almost 40 times the World Health Organization reference for an entire day. Ash also fell frequently, forcing repeated pool cleaning at a hotel.

Pollution disrupted emergency response as well. Ibama reported that aircraft used to fight the fires had to stop flying. Pilots could not see adequately to operate safely in the dense smoke. This meant that the same conditions threatening residents also limited a key firefighting tool, although rain later improved Manaus’s air.

The response involved several governments and agencies. Amazonas declared an emergency in 36 municipalities on October 10, and the federal government recognized it the same day. The federal government increased firefighting aircraft from 11 to 16 and sent about 290 professionals. Ibama coordinated aviation information, while the Health Ministry sent a special team to Manaus.

São Paulo sent 25 firefighters, five Civil Defense agents, and 11,000 liters of fire-control product. Inpe supplied hotspot records. The Federal Police and Brazilian Intelligence Agency investigated whether some fires were organized. Fire crews had launched about 600,000 liters of water and extinguished 317 fires by October 17.

The response became politically contentious during the presidential campaign. Amazonas’s fire commander said the federal government had denied support. Minister Waldez Góes said assistance was released once the emergency was declared. Lula highlighted federal help, while Flávio Bolsonaro criticized the response and promised stronger action if elected.

The article connects future fire prevention with controlling how forest areas are cleared and burned. Illegal deforestation can create conditions where vegetation is removed and fire becomes part of land clearing. Organized burning is a separate concern: police and intelligence agencies investigated whether some Amazonas fires were deliberately coordinated. The suspicion recalled Pará’s 2019 “day of fire.”

Government targets represent longer-term approaches. Flávio Bolsonaro’s plan proposed ending illegal deforestation by 2029. Lula’s plan set net-zero deforestation for 2030, meaning vegetation losses would be compensated through recovering areas. These goals address the amount of forest lost, while enforcement would be needed to identify illegal or coordinated burning.

The article does not report whether either target has been achieved. It says some suspects had been identified and investigations were continuing. Future prevention therefore depends on both investigating possible organized fires and carrying out the stated deforestation goals, alongside responses to drought and dry vegetation.