Deforested areas in the Amazon.| Photo: Alberto César Araújo/Amazônia Real

The National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) updated this Friday (10) data on deforestation alerts in the Legal Amazon in February, confirming the prospect of a record for the month since the beginning of the historical series. The number went from 290.75 km² between the 1st and the 24th of last month to 321.97 km² in the consolidated for the month (see in full).

The area with deforestation alerts grew 62.06% in February this year compared to the same month last year, when 198.67 km² were registered. In the accumulated result for the year, the Legal Amazon accumulates an area of ​​489 km², “the second largest area deforested in these two months since 2016, the beginning of the historical series – the record occurred in the same period last year (629 km²)”, says the Ministry of Environment.

The states that registered the most deforestation alerts in February were Mato Grosso (168.83 km²), Pará (46.46 km²) and Amazonas (46.37 km²). Earlier this week, the ministry declared a situation of environmental emergency due to the risk of forest fires for several regions of the country between April 2023 and February 2024.

In mid-February, when the first data for the month came out, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) even stated that it was necessary to analyze what would have happened for this jump in the number of alerts. The Presidency of the Republic has not yet commented on the update of Inpe.