Brief
Super El Niño fuels record Amazon wildfires as smoke chokes Manaus
Satellite data reveal a sharp surge in Amazon fires linked to the strongest El Niño on record, prompting health alerts in Brazil’s Amazonas state.
By Felo News Desk · Published
NASA’s satellite observations confirm that the unprecedented strength of the current El Niño is already driving a dramatic spike in Amazon wildfires, with smoke from the blazes enveloping the city of Manaus, according to Gizmodo.
What happened
In the first two weeks of October, Brazil’s Amazon surveillance system recorded 1,679 fires in Amazonas state, a 253% increase over the same period last year, as reported by Reuters and cited by Gizmodo. The fire‑affected zone stretches from the forests surrounding Manaus and Santarém to the mouth of the Amazon River. On 12 October, NASA’s Aqua satellite captured images of dense smoke on both sides of the river, blanketing Manaus.
What the reports add
Gizmodo notes that NASA’s MODIS instrument on the Aqua platform provided the imagery, and that city officials measured fine particulate matter (PM2.5) above 135 µg/m³ on the same day, prompting mask mandates, school closures and suspension of in‑person municipal work. The outlet also cites Earth system scientist Douglas Morton of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, who describes the Amazon fires as part of a “cascade” of tropical wildfires triggered by El Niño’s impact on rainfall patterns.
What was said
“It’s so striking—and frustrating—that this is happening all over again,” Morton said in a statement to Gizmodo. “Given the intensity of this El Niño, this really is the year for people to avoid burning at all costs.”
How it came about
Morton’s research links the current fire surge to the same El Niño‑driven pan‑tropical wildfire pattern observed in 2015 and 2023, which began with drought and peat fires in Indonesia before moving to the central and eastern Amazon. Indonesia has been battling drought, fire and smoke since August, according to the same NASA data referenced by Gizmodo.
Key facts
- 1,679 fires were recorded in Amazonas state in the first two weeks of October, a 253% rise over the same period in 2025. (gizmodo.com)
- NASA’s Aqua satellite captured smoke over Manaus on 12 October 2026. (gizmodo.com)
- PM2.5 levels in Manaus exceeded 135 µg/m³, leading to mask mandates and school closures. (gizmodo.com)
- Douglas Morton of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center called the Amazon fires part of an El Niño‑driven cascade. (gizmodo.com)
- The current El Niño is the strongest on record and is linked to drought and fire in Indonesia since August. (gizmodo.com)
Sources
- [1] gizmodo.com — originally reported as “The Super El Niño Hasn’t Even Peaked, and It’s Already Burning Up the Amazon”
