Wildfires in Brazil's wetlands, prompting state of emergency

On Monday, Regional authorities in Brazil declared a state of emergency as the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetlands, faces out of control fires, according to a decree. The surge of fires before the peak of the dry season has raised alarm for the Pantanal, which extends into Bolivia and Paraguay and is home to a rich array of wildlife.

According to environmental satellite data from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 627,000 hectares of the Pantanal have already gone up in flames since the start of the year. The Pantanal experienced its worst year for fires in 2020, when 30 percent of the wetlands were affected.