Deforestation alerts in the Amazon rose 4% between August last year and July 2025, reaching 4,495 km² in the period. This was the second-lowest level since records began in 2016.
The figures, from the Real-Time Deforestation Detection System (Deter)—an annual rate projection—were released on Thursday (7) by the Environment Ministry (MMA) and the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in Brasília.
In the Amazon breakdown, 84% of alerts stemmed from clear-cutting, 15% from forest fires, and 1% from mining. In the prior period (August 2023 to July 2024), fires accounted for 5% of alerts, while clear-cutting made up 93%.
“Even with this increase driven by fires, we saw an 8% drop in clear-cutting. Within the margin, we can say deforestation in the Amazon is under control, but our commitment is zero deforestation by 2030,” said Environment Minister Marina Silva.
Mato Grosso posted the steepest increase, with 1,636 square kilometers in alerts—a 74% jump over the period. Acre also recorded a rise, of 12.3%. Other states, however, saw declines: Rondônia (35%), Roraima (23.7%), and Pará (21%).
In other biomes, deforestation alerts fell 20.8% in the Cerrado and 72% in the Pantanal during the same period.
“We also celebrate the drop in deforestation in the Cerrado, which is a huge effort, given that much of the biome has legal authorization to clear land,” Ms. Silva added.
André Lima, the ministry’s special secretary for deforestation control and environmental land use, stressed the government’s challenge in containing wildfires.
“We are seeing increasing pressure from fire-driven deforestation. Our biggest challenge is to bring that under control. We still have much work ahead in tackling illegal deforestation as well,” Mr. Lima said.