The time since land-use transition drives changes in fire activity in the Amazon-Cerrado region

Deforestation and agricultural expansion significantly alter fire regimes in the Amazon-Cerrado transition, one of the world's most dynamic agricultural frontiers. Research reveals that fire activity surges abruptly before and after land clearing for pasture, particularly in the Amazon, despite long-term declines in burned area as landscapes age. This pattern is driven by interactions between ignition risk, drought conditions, and vegetation dryness, which increase the likelihood of large-scale fires linked to deforestation. The study highlights that incorporating frontier age—a proxy for governance dynamics—into fire modeling is critical to understanding ecological impacts. Protecting native vegetation and curbing deforestation emerge as key strategies to mitigate these changes.

Ribeiro, A. F. S., Santos, L., Randerson, J. T., Uribe, M. R., Alencar, A. A. C., Macedo, M. N., Morton, D. C., Zscheischler, J., Silvestrini, R. A., Rattis, L., Seneviratne, S. I., & Brando, P. M. (2024). The time since land-use transition drives changes in fire activity in the Amazon-Cerrado region. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01248-3