Remote Sensing of Wildfire Dynamics and Severity in the Brazilian Pantanal

Wildfires have intensified in several regions worldwide, and the Brazilian Pantanal has become increasingly vulnerable due to the combined effects of human activities and climate change. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of burned areas and burn severity in the Brazilian Pantanal over 39 years (1985–2023), integrating burned-area dynamics, land use and land cover information, and hydroclimatic variables. Burned areas were quantified using MapBiomas Fire Project data, including annual burned areas, affected land use and land cover classes, seasonal fire distribution, fire-scar size, and fire recurrence. Burn severity was assessed using the Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (ΔNBR), and hydroclimatic trends were evaluated using the Mann–Kendall test. The largest burned areas occurred in 1999 (27,260.65 km2) and 2020 (25,602.65 km2), with grassland representing the most affected land use and land cover class throughout the historical series. Fires were concentrated during the late dry season, and recurrent burning was more evident in the southwestern Pantanal and in smaller northern areas. The 2020 fire season showed the greatest extent of high-, moderate–high-, and moderate–low-severity classes. Wildfire occurrence, recurrence, extent, and severity were associated with hydroclimatic variability, especially reduced precipitation and relative humidity and increased air and land surface temperatures. These findings provide a long-term basis for understanding changes in fire regimes in the Brazilian Pantanal and can support fire management, ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and climate adaptation strategies.