Amazon Rainforest Enters Severe Fire Season Amidst El Niño-Driven Drought

The Amazon rainforest has entered the early stages of what scientists expect to be a long and severe fire season, exacerbated by an intense El Niño-driven drought. Satellites detected sharp increases in fire activity and smoke emissions in the central and eastern Amazon starting in September 2026, particularly around Manaus and Santarém. These fires, mostly human-started, are expected to continue until the rainy season in December 2026 or January 2027.