An unprecedented number of fires were ignited in protected areas in 2024, destroying indigenous homes, farms, and animals.
In the heart of the Bolivian Amazon, a record number of wildfires have burned more than 24 million acres of land so far this year, according to nongovernmental organization, Tierra.
More than 45,993 fires have been recorded in the country in 2024, surpassing all previous benchmarks of deforestation since 2012, according to Global Forest Watch data.
Many Bolivians blame a federal land grant program that, with the cooperation of three unions, relocates farmers from the western part of the country to Amazonian areas with promises of free land.
Once the farmers arrive, the program demands that they clear protected forest land to obtain the legal title.
Beyond farmers and ranchers, private interest groups involved in mining, logging, and drug trafficking have also been blamed for accelerating the rate of deforestation in Bolivia’s Amazon.
Tree cover lost to wildfires has increased dramatically since 2019, Global Forest Watch data show.
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