{"id":191160,"date":"2024-09-17T16:29:52","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T15:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=191160"},"modified":"2024-11-08T18:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T17:35:01","slug":"burning-in-silence-bolivias-forest-fires-and-its-threat-to-global-biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/blog\/burning-in-silence-bolivias-forest-fires-and-its-threat-to-global-biodiversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Burning in silence: Bolivia\u2019s forest fires and its threat to global biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This year\u2019s forest fires in Bolivia have reached devastating levels, threatening unique ecosystems, including the Chiquitano Dry Forest. Despite the scale of destruction \u2014burning over 4 million hectares, displacing entire communities, and endangering biodiversity \u2014these fires have received far less global attention compared to the Amazon fires of 2019. Thousands of people have been forced to relocate as their homes and livelihoods go up in flames, and the widespread loss of crops has triggered food and water shortages.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Photo: Fires in the Chiquitano dry forest. \u00a9 Manuel Seoane<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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The Chiquitano Dry Forest under fire<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Chiquitano Dry Forest<\/a>, one of the largest intact tropical dry forests in the world, covers 23 million hectares, with most of it located in Bolivia. Unlike tropical rainforests, the Chiquitano is naturally adapted to long dry seasons and periodic fires. However, the increasing frequency and intensity of recent fires have severely disrupted its delicate balance. By early September, Fundaci\u00f3n Tierra<\/a> reported that over 4 million hectares had burned, including the San Mat\u00edas Integrated Natural Management Area, where nearly 45% of the territory was affected. These fires have repeatedly struck the same regions in Bolivia, particularly the Chiquitania, preventing the forest from fully recovering between fire seasons. The cumulative impact of annual fires is devastating not only to the forest\u2019s natural regeneration but also to the livelihoods of the local communities that rely on it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Frequent fires over the last two decades have pushed the resilience of the Chiquitano Dry Forest to its limits. Research shows that areas affected by fires two or more times are less resilient compared to those that burned only once. Continuous fires prevent natural regeneration, alter species composition, and weaken the ecosystem\u2019s stability. Vegetation that burns repeatedly tends to shift towards fire-tolerant species, reducing overall biodiversity[1]<\/sup><\/a>Frontiers | Tropical Dry Forest Resilience to Fire Depends on Fire Frequency and Climate (frontiersin.org)<\/a><\/span><\/span>