The Status of Brazil’s Wildfires, and What Travelers Should Know

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In the past few months, wildfires in Brazil have burned through the Amazon Rainforest, Pantanal wetlands, and Cerrado tropical savanna—killing wildlife and engulfing major cities, including the nation’s capital, Brasília, in smoke. While one might assume that a 131,000-acre ecological reserve in the midst of Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, would always be a humid and leafy haven, in recent years, the Pantanal wetlands have suffered heavily from fires, which have become increasingly harsh as climate change advances. As a result of two widespread wildfires in July and earlier this month, 80% of the area of the Panantal's Caiman hotel reserve burned down this year, forcing the property and wildlife refuge to close down its operations from August 1 to the end of September.

In São Paulo, the richest and most populous state of the country, both the Cerrado and rural areas have seen widespread fires (peaking the weekend of August 24). As of August 28, the fires in São Paulo have all been brought under control, though a total of 48 cities remained in a state of emergency, according to a statement published by the local government. The governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, says that while it’s hard to estimate the losses caused by the fires, they will certainly exceed one billion Brazilian real—over $180 million USD.

This August saw the most fire outbreaks in São Paulo since the state’s measurements began 26 years ago, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, INPE. The figures for Pantanal are also worrying: the biome is facing its worst drought in 70 years, worsened by extreme El Niño events. In 2024, nearly 2 million acres were burned down in the Pantanal by early July, according to INPE’s latest data. In the first semester alone, the area burned in the biome increased by 529% compared to the previous year.

Despite the undeniable negative impact on nature, tourism in Brazil hasn’t been severely affected by the recent fires. The nation’s largest hotel associations tell Condé Nast Traveler that no member hotels other than the Panantal's ecotourism Caiman hotel have seen operations impacted. However, experts warn that travelers should be aware of health risks related to air pollution from the fires, and are advised to check forecasts and humidity levels before a trip to Brazil. Here’s what tourists should know about the fires in Brazil:

What has been affected? The July fires in the Northern part of Brazil spread a toxic gray cloud of smoke over most of the country, as shown by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s satellite images. A brief reprieve came in mid-August when the phenomenon was interrupted by a polar air mass that dropped temperatures and brought some rain to the Center-South of Brazil. However, the “corridor” of air pollution caused by the wildfire smoke struck again on Wednesday, August 21, reaching 10 states and affecting neighboring countries, according to meteorologists. In late August, pictures of plumes of black smoke painting orange skies in São Paulo, the most affected state as of August 28, went viral on social media.

Several roads in São Paulo, Goiás, and Mato Grosso do Sul have been affected accordingly, and three airports—Goiânia, São José do Rio Preto, and Ribeirão Preto—had to close down for several hours on Sunday, August 25, due to low visibility. In Goiânia, the main gateway for the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, two dozen flights were canceled on that Sunday, and normal operations resumed on Monday. In Ribeirão Preto, a local hub in the countryside of São Paulo, the closure affected 21 flights, but experts say that the impact on highways for the heavily road-traffic reliant São Paulo state is much greater: considering partial or total blockades, at least 17 highways were closed at some point between August 24 to 26. Now, with wildfires under control and most roads back open, those traveling by car or bus from the capital of São Paulo can still expect delays and cancellations due to occasional highway obstructions.

Thousands of kilometers away from São Paulo, in the North of the country, the city of Manaus was also covered in smoke during the first half of August, which led to poor air quality for several weeks in the city of 2 million that is the entrance for tourists traveling to the Brazilian portion of the Amazon. Jesem Orellana, an epidemiologist working at Fiocruz, one of the most prominent institutions of science and health in Latin America, emphasized the importance of both tourists and locals wearing face masks: He argues that masks with N95 or PFF2 filtration systems are essential for travelers to the region, as researchers are still unsure whether the fire season will last longer this year.

As for the cause of the August wildfires, four arson suspects have been arrested in connection to fires in rural areas of São José do Rio Preto, Batatais, and Guaraci; the local government says police forces are mobilized to investigate all incidents of arson in the state. Since Friday, August 24, more than 15,000 people have been involved in fighting the flames, providing guidance to the population, and planning the state’s next steps.

“What is most worrying about this year compared to previous years is that we don’t know for sure whether what is happening is simply an anticipation of the most critical period for wildfires, or whether, this year, we will actually have a longer period of exposure to this level of fog,” Orellana, who is based in Fiocruz’s Manaus office, tells Traveler. Last year, air pollution caused by wildfires in Manaus happened only in October.

For tourists going to São Paulo, a state of 44 million inhabitants, including 20 million in or around the namesake capital city, hotel associations are assuring visitors that the fires have mostly affected rural areas and that the smoke, which impacted the skies the weekend of August 24, has mostly dissipated.

“It is completely safe to come to São Paulo now, but it is always worth it checking the weather forecast to see humidity levels and temperatures, which are prone to a lot of variation at this time of the year, and prepare accordingly,” says Ricardo Roman Jr, president of the São Paulo branch of Brazilian Hotel Industry Association. “Overall, if anything happens, the hotels are very well trained to provide assistance and advice.”

For travelers looking into how to help in the aftermath of the fires, Roberto Klabin, the founder of hotel Caiman and also of a local NGO called SOS Pantanal, believes that boosting tourism is the most helpful action people can take.

“If you want to contribute to Caiman and to preserving our biome, plan a visit to the Pantanal in the future,” Klabin says. “We can only preserve what we know, and this biome needs more and more people telling the world about its potential.”

“The Pantanal never tires of showing us its ability to transform itself, and this is what moves us forward,” he adds.

Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler

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