The Amazon region belonging to Peru has become the epicenter of the forest fires that have occurred in this region so far in 2024. This alarming data emerged from a recent report by the Mapbiomas Peru Initiative, led by the Instituto del Bien Común (IBC), in collaboration with IPAM, Brazil.
This report revealed that forests and agricultural areas were the most affected areas, given that two out of every three fires (67%) occurred in natural ecosystems, while the remaining third (33%) took place in agricultural areas.
This research analyzed forest fires in the country over the last two decades, from 2002 to 2024. For this, they took into account heat sources and their relationship with the soil, especially in the months of August and September, historically when the highest incidence of fires occurs.
In fact, September 2024 broke the historical record for fires, and the Peruvian Amazon became the most affected region. Within this region, the department of Ucayali stands out as the locality with the highest incidence of heat sources this year. This only adds to bad news for the environment in Peru and all of Latin America.
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Recurrent Forest Fires in Peru
Forest fires are phenomena that intensify during the dry season in Peru, especially in the months of August and September. According to experts, some of these fires may have a natural origin, although human activity is the main culprit that worsens the climatic conditions.
In this sense, it is worth noting that 49% of heat sources occurred in forested areas, 35% in agricultural regions, while another 12% took place in non-forested natural formations such as grasslands, floodable grasslands, and shrublands.
According to the analysis of the monthly heat source trend between January 2015 and September 2024, heat sources reach their peak level in September. In relation to this data, during August and September of this year, the departments of Ucayali, Madre de Dios, Huánuco, San Martín, and Loreto were where the highest concentration of heat sources occurred.
Forest fires in Peru.
Biodiversity and Economy Affected by Climate Change
According to experts, the traditional agricultural practice of using fire to clear land and prepare the soil for future crops is one of the riskiest practices, as it increases the vulnerability of ecosystems, making them more defenseless against fires.
In fact, these fires have a devastating effect on both biodiversity and the economy of the communities living there. This is due to the reduction of habitats that compromises food security and, consequently, the livelihoods of local families.
For this reason, it is considered essential to have technical-scientific information to evaluate and monitor fires historically, monthly, and annually in order to achieve more effective fire prevention and management. This information will help study land temperatures, generate data and maps to facilitate early fire detection and monitoring, identify the most vulnerable areas, and make better decisions and allocate necessary resources.
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