Smoke blankets Bolivian skies following wildfires that have hit a record 25 million acres

In Bolivia, new data shows wildfires have burned a record 25 million hectares this year, reflecting hot and dry conditions caused by the climate crisis. On Tuesday, officials in Bolivia’s hardest-hit city of Santa Cruz advised residents to stay indoors and wear face masks in open areas as wildfire smoke blanketed the region, triggering air quality warnings. Due to poor visibility, airline flights were delayed while school district officials canceled classes.

Valeria Vargas: “We have a lot of breathing problems. This makes learning difficult because students have coughs, sore throats, headaches and itchy eyes. Then it is now impossible to hold face-to-face classes.”

The record wildfires in Bolivia come as a scientific study by the Forest Declaration Assessment organization found that deforestation rose sharply in 2023, with nearly 16 million hectares of forest cleared or burned – an area roughly the size of Ireland . This means the world is behind a target to eliminate deforestation by 2030, which 140 countries agreed to three years ago at the UN climate conference in Glasgow.