Massive wildfires, worsened by climate change and extreme droughts, led to an unprecedented 6.7 million hectares of tropical forest loss in 2024, according to a report by the World Resources Institute and the University of Maryland. Fires, for the first time, became the leading cause of forest destruction, with Brazil’s Amazon hit hardest.

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• 2024 saw 6.7 million hectares of tropical forest lost — up 80% from 2023
• Brazil lost 2.8 million ha, the most globally, due to Amazon wildfires and severe drought
• Fires were the top cause of tropical forest loss for the first time
• Bolivia saw a 200% spike in forest loss, overtaking DRC despite smaller forest area
• Colombia and DRC reported increased loss due to armed conflicts and resource use
• Canada and Russia each lost 5.2 million ha in boreal forests due to extreme wildfires
• Southeast Asia saw improvement: Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos posted declines
• Bolivia’s Charagua Iyambae Indigenous territory resisted fires via early warning systems
• Climate experts warn current deforestation outpaces mitigation capacity
• WRI urges climate summit in Brazil’s Belem to focus on funding forest conservation