Fires fuel record global forest loss in 2024

New GLAD Lab data shows fire was the leading driver of tropical deforestation

ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | Forest loss around the world surged to a record high in 2024, thanks mainly to a calamitous rise in fires, according to the latest data from the University of Maryland’s GLAD Lab that is published on the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Global Forest Watch digital platform.

The Global Forest Watch (GFW) has been collaborating with Maryland University since 2014, harnessing their cutting-edge GLAD technology to allow anyone access near real-time information about where and how forests are changing around the world.

The GLAD or the Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) laboratory in the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland investigates methods, causes and impacts of global land surface change. Earth observation imagery are the primary data source with land cover extent and change the primary topic of interest. The data captures changes at about 30 × 30-metre resolution across all global land areas, except Antarctica and other Arctic islands.

According to data published on May 21, forest cover equivalent to 18 standard football pitches were cut/burnt down every minute and by the end of the year, 6.7 million hectares which is nearly twice as much as in 2023 disappeared. This same area is nearly three times the size of Rwanda.

“This level of forest loss is unlike anything we’ve seen in over 20 years of data,” said Elizabeth Goldman, the Co-Director, WRI’s Global Forest Watch. “It’s a global red alert — a collective call to action for every country, every business and every person who cares about a livable planet. Our economies, our communities, our health — none of it can survive without forests.”

Fires overtake agricuture

For the first time on record, fires — not agriculture — were the leading cause of tropical primary forest loss, accounting for nearly 50% of all destruction. This marks a dramatic shift from recent years, when fires averaged just 20%. Meanwhile, tropical primary forest loss driven by other causes also jumped by 14%, the sharpest increase since 2016.

Despite some positive developments, particularly in Southeast Asia, the overall trend is heading in a troubling direction. Interestingly, leaders of over 140 countries signed the Glasgow Leaders Declaration in 2021, promising to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, which is just five years away. However, the commitments appear off track. For instance, of the 20 countries with the largest area of primary forest, 17 have higher primary forest loss today than when the agreement was signed.

The consequences of forest loss in 2024 have been devastating for both people and the planet. Globally, the fires emitted 4.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions — releasing more than four times the emissions from all air travel in 2023. The fires worsened air quality, strained water supplies and threatened the lives and livelihoods of millions.

While fires are natural in some ecosystems, those in tropical forests are mostly human-induced, often set on agricultural land or to prepare new areas for farming. In 2024, the hottest year on record, extreme conditions fueled by climate change and El Niño made these fires more intense and harder to control. Although forests have the ability to recover from fire, the combined pressures of land conversion and a changing climate can hinder that recovery and raise the likelihood of future fires.

Top countries losing forests

Brazil, the country with the largest area of tropical forest, accounted for 42% of all tropical primary forest loss in 2024. Fires, fueled by the worst drought on record, caused 66% of that loss — a sixfold increase from 2023.

Primary forest loss from other causes also rose by 13%, mostly due to large-scale farming for soy and cattle, though still lower than the peaks seen in the early 2000s and in the President Jair Bolsonaro era. The Amazon experienced its highest tree cover loss since 2016, while the Pantanal suffered the highest percentage of tree cover loss in the country.

“Brazil has made progress under President Lula da Silva— but the threat to forests remains. Without sustained investment in community fire prevention, stronger state-level enforcement and a focus on sustainable land use, hard-won gains risk being undone,” said Mariana Oliveira, the Director Forests and Land Use Programme at the Brazil chapter of the World Resources Institute. “As Brazil prepares to host COP30, it has a powerful opportunity to put forest protection front and center on the global stage.”

Still in South America, Bolivia’s primary forest loss skyrocketed by 200% in 2024, totaling 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres). For the first time, it ranked second to Brazil for tropical primary forest loss, overtaking the Democratic Republic of Congo despite having less than half its forest area.

More than half the loss was due to fires, often set to clear land for soy, cattle, and sugarcane, which turned into megafires due to heavy drought. Government policies promoting agricultural expansion worsened the problem. “The fires that tore through Bolivia in 2024 left deep scars — not only on the land, but on the people who depend on it,” said Stasiek Czaplicki Cabezas, a Bolivian researcher and Data Journalist based at Revista Nomadas, an environmental digital media outlet.

“The damage could take centuries to undo. Across the tropics, we need stronger fire response systems and a shift away from policies that encourage dangerous land clearing, or this pattern of destruction will only get worse,” he added.

In Colombia, primary forest loss increased by nearly 50%. However, unlike elsewhere in Latin America, fires were not the primary cause. Instead, non-fire-related loss rose by 53%, owing to instability from the breakdown in peace talks, including illegal mining and coca production.

According to Joaquin Carrizosa, a Senior Advisor at the Colombian chapter of WRI, in 2023, Colombia saw the biggest drop in primary forest loss in 20 years, proving that when government and communities work together, real change is possible.

“The rise in primary forest loss in 2024 is a setback, but it shouldn’t discourage us as a country. We need to keep supporting local, nature-based economies – especially in remote areas – and invest in solutions that protect the environment, create jobs and foster peace,” he said.

Forest loss in the Congo Basin

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congo-Brazzaville saw the highest levels of primary forest loss on record. In Congo-Brazzaville, primary forest loss surged by 150% compared to the previous year, with fires causing 45% of the damage, worsened by unusually hot and dry conditions.

Like the Amazon, the Congo Basin plays a crucial role as a carbon sink, but the rising fires and forest loss now threaten its vital function. In the DRC, poverty, reliance on forests for food and energy and ongoing conflict driven by rebel groups have fueled instability and led to increased land clearing, further driving forest loss.

“The high rates of forest loss in the DRC reflect the tough realities our communities are facing — poverty, conflict and a deep reliance on forests for survival,” said Teodyl Nkuintchua, the Congo Basin Strategy & Engagement Lead at WRI Africa.

“There’s no silver bullet, but we won’t change the current trajectory until people across the Congo Basin are fully empowered to lead conservation efforts that also support their rural economies.”

According to Dr. Matt Hansen, a professor at the University of Maryland who also doubles as Co-Director, Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) Lab, the unprecedented forest loss from fire now happening in the few remaining ‘High Forest, Low Deforestation’ countries, like Congo-Brazzaville is a new dynamic since it is outside of current policy frameworks or intervention capabilities. This, he says, will severely test “our ability to maintain intact forests within a warming climate.”

Not all doom and gloom

However, it’s not all bad news. In Southeast Asia, for example, there are signs of progress. Indonesia reduced primary forest loss by 11%, reversing a steady rise between 2021 and 2023. Efforts under former President Joko Widodo to restore land and curb fires helped keep fire rates low, even amid widespread droughts. Malaysia also saw a 13% decline and fell out of the top 10 countries for tropical primary forest loss for the first time.

Arief Wijaya, the Managing Director at the Indonesian chapter of WRI said: “We’re proud that Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world to reduce primary forest loss. But deforestation remains a concern due to plantations, small-scale farming and mining — even within protected areas. We hope the current administration keeps the momentum going”.

The rise in forest loss also extended beyond the tropics. The world saw a 5% increase in total tree cover loss compared to 2023, adding up to 30 million hectares — an area the size of Italy. This increase was driven in part by the intense fire seasons in Canada and Russia, marking the first time that major fires raged across both the tropics and boreal forests since GFW’s record-keeping began.

Combatting forest loss

Peter Potapov, a research professor at the University of Maryland who is also Co-Director, Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) Lab noted that 2024 was the worst year on record for fire-driven forest loss, breaking the record set just last year.

“If this trend continues, it could permanently transform critical natural areas and unleash large amounts of carbon — intensifying climate change and fueling even more extreme fires. This is a dangerous feedback loop we cannot afford to trigger further,” he said.

Rod Taylor, the Director, Forests and Nature Conservation at the WRI says forest fires and land clearing are driving up emissions, while the climate is already changing faster than forests can adapt. “This crisis is pushing countless species to the brink and forcing Indigenous Peoples and local communities from their ancestral lands. But this isn’t irreversible — if governments, businesses, and individuals act now, we can stop the assault on forests and their custodians,” Taylor added.

Going forward, in order to meet the global goal of halting forest loss by 2030, the world must reduce deforestation by 20% every year, starting immediately. Experts say the world needs action on multiple fronts: stronger fire prevention, deforestation-free supply chains for commodities, better enforcement of trade regulations and increased funding for forest protection — especially Indigenous-led initiatives.

This, they say, will require political will, national strategies tailored to local realities and greater support from wealthier nations to ensure forests remain standing — and are valued more alive than lost.

Kelly Levin, the Chief of Science, Data and Systems Change at Bezos Earth Fund said: “Countries have repeatedly pledged to halt deforestation and forest degradation. Yet the data reveal a stark gap between promises made and progress delivered — alongside the growing impacts of a warming world. These findings should jolt us out of complacency.”