Amazon Fire Tracker 2021: Brazilian Amazon Fire Season Begins

2021 Brazilian Amazon Fire #2. Mato Grosso. Data: MAAP, Planet.

Last year (2020), we demonstrated the power of our real-time Amazon fire monitoring app (see MAAP #118 and MAAP #129).

In a novel approach, the app uniquely combines data from the atmosphere (aerosol emissions in smoke) and the ground (heat anomaly alerts) to quickly and precisely detect major Amazon fires.*

Using the app, we just detected the first two major fires in the Brazilian Amazon for 2021.

These fires occurred on May 19 and 20, respectively, both on the southern edge of the Amazon in the state of Mato Grosso. For comparison, last year’s intense fire season started on May 28.

We confirmed both fires using high-resolution imagery from the satellite company Planet.

Importantly, the imagery also revealed that both fires burned recently deforested areas. That is, instead of being actual “forest fires,” both areas were actually first deforested in 2020 and then burned in 2021. See MAAP #113 for background on this important point.

Below, we show a striking series of satellite imagery videos showing this critical process of Amazon deforestation followed by Amazon fires.

2021 Brazilian Amazon Fire #1

We detected the first major fire of the year in the Brazilian Amazon on May 19, on the southern edge of the Amazon in the state of Mato Grosso. As the satellite video shows, this area was first cleared in 2020 and then later burned in 2021.

2021 Brazilian Amazon Fire #1. Mato Grosso. Data: MAAP, Planet

 

 

 

2021 Brazilian Amazon Fire #2

We detected the second major fire of the year in the Brazilian Amazon the following day, on May 20, also on the southern edge of the Amazon in the state of Mato Grosso. As the satellite video shows, this area was also first cleared in 2020 and then later burned in 2021.

2021 Brazilian Amazon Fire #2. Mato Grosso. Data: MAAP, Planet.

*App Background

We launched a new and improved version of the Amazon real-time fire monitoring app in May 2021. The app is hosted by Google Earth Engine and updated every day by the organization Conservación Amazónica, based in Peru.

The app displays aerosol emissions as detected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5 satellite. Elevated aerosol levels indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass, defined here as a “major fire”. In a novel approach, the app combines data from the atmosphere (aerosol emissions in smoke) and the ground (heat anomaly alerts) to effectively detect and visualize major Amazon fires.

When fires burn, they emit gases and aerosols. A new satellite (Sentinel-5P from the European Space Agency) detects these aerosol emissions (aerosol definition: Suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas). Thus, the major feature of the app is detecting elevated aerosol emissions which in turn indicate the burning of large amounts of biomass. For example, the app distinguishes small fires clearing old fields (and burning little biomass) from larger fires burning recently deforested areas or standing forest (and burning lots of biomass). The spatial resolution of the aerosol data is 7.5 sq km. The high values in the aerosol indices (AI) may also be due to other reasons such as emissions of volcanic ash or desert dust so it is important to cross reference elevated emissions with heat data and optical imagery.

We define “major fire” as one showing elevated aerosol emission levels on the app, thus indicating the burning of elevated levels of biomass. This typically translates to an aerosol index of >1 (or cyan-green to red on the app). To identify the exact source of the elevated emissions, we reduce the intensity of aerosol data in order to see the underlying terrestrial heat-based fire alerts. Typically for major fires, there is a large cluster of alerts. The major fires are then confirmed, and burn areas estimated, using high-resolution satellite imagery from Planet Explorer.

Since the data updates daily and is not impacted by clouds, real-time monitoring really is possible. Our goal is to upload each day’s new image in the late afternoon/early evening.

Acknowledgements

The app was developed and updated daily by Conservación Amazónica (ACCA). The data analysis is led by Amazon Conservation in collaboration with SERVIR Amazonia.

This work was mainly supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) and ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada).

Citation

Finer M, Villa L (2021) Amazon Fire Tracker 2021: Brazilian Amazon Fire Season Begins. MAAP.

MAAP #137: New Illegal Gold Mining Hotspot in Peruvian Amazon – Pariamanu

Image 1. Very high-resolution image of the recent gold mining deforestation (10 hectares) in the new hotspot around the Pariamanu river. Data: Planet (Skysat)

In 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury to confront the illegal gold mining crisis in the southern Amazonian area known as La Pampa (Madre de Dios region).

As a result, deforestation decreased 90% in this critical area (MAAP# 130).

Some illegal gold mining, however, has moved to several new hotspots (Image 1), although at much lower levels.

The most emblematic hotspot is located along the Pariamanu River, northeast of La Pampa in the Madre de Dios region (see Base Map, below).

We have documented the gold mining deforestation of 204 hectares (504 acres) in the Pariamanu area from 2017 to the present

This mining activity is clearly illegal because it is located within Brazil-nut forestry concessions, and is outside the permitted mining zone (commonly called the “mining corridor”).

Fortunately, a series of timely actions by the Peruvian Government has minimized the irreversible damage along the Pariamanu (see below).

The objective of this report is to present Pariamanu as an emblematic case that links technology with the rapid response action of public entities to address illegal activity in the Amazon.

It also represents a concrete case of strategic collaboration between civil society and the government to try and achieve zero illegal deforestation (and avoided deforestation).

Pariamanu

Base Map. Illegal gold mining deforestation along the Pariamanu river, in the context of La Pampa. Data: MAAP.

Base Map

The Base Map shows the location of illegal gold mining along the Pariamanu River, in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region).

For context, La Pampa (the previous epicenter of illegal mining) and the regional capitol city of Puerto Maldonado are inlcuded. We also show another new illegal mining hotspot next to La Pampa, known as Apaylon.

In total, we have documented the deforestation of 204 hectares (504 acres) of primary forest caused by illegal gold mining in Pariamanu since 2017, indicated in red.

Note that this deforestation is located within Brazil nut forestry concessions and outside the “mining corridor,” thus clearly indicating its illegality.

Satellite Video: Illegal Gold Mining Deforestation in Pariamanu

We present a satellite image video showing an example of illegal gold mining in the Pariamanu area. These images show the deforestation of 71 hectares (175 acres) between 2016 (first image) and 2021 (last image), in the area indicated by the white inset box in the Base Map above. Note that each image is from July of each year (2016-20), with the exception of 2021 which shows January and March. Press the “play” button (lower left) to start the video. Click on the box (lower right) to view in full screen.

Satellite image video. Data: Planet.

Planet link: https://www.planet.com/stories/illegal-gold-mining-in-southern-peruvian-amazon-pa-6DfO4KuGg

MAAP Reports & Government Action

Operativo en Pariamanu, septiembre del 2020. Foto: FEMA Madre de Dios.

The first MAAP report about Pariamanu was published in November 2016, where we described “the start of mining in a new area” (MAAP #50). We found the mining-caused deforestation of 69 hectares (170 acres) on the banks of the Pariamanu river.

In January 2020, we published the second MAAP report about Pariamanu, documenting that the mining deforestation increased to 99 hectares (245 acres) (MAAP # 115). In this report, we warned that there were indications that some miners displaced by Operation Mercury (in February 2019) have moved to this area.

In response to this situation, the Peruvian Government, led by the Special Prosecutor for Environmental Matters (known as FEMA), carried out a series of field operations in 2020 (May, August and September, respectively), as an extension of Operation Mercury focused on cracking down on the illegal mining in Pariamanu.

The operations were effective in destroying mining equipment and sending a strong message that the government was engaged in this area.

However, we found that gold mining deforestation continued in several small areas between October 2020 and March 2021 (see Image 2), reaching the new total of 204 hectares (504 acres).

Fortunately, the government continues to respond effectively. Most recently (March 19, 2021), FEMA and the Peruvian Coast Guard carried out a new operation in Pariamanu, finding an illegal mining camp and equipment.

As mentioned above, the objective of this section (and this report) is to present Pariamanu as an emblematic case that links technology with the rapid response action of public entities to address illegal activity in the Amazon. It also represents a concrete case of strategic collaboration between civil society and the government to try and achieve zero illegal deforestation (and avoided deforestation).

Image 2. Data: Planet, MAAP.

Acknowledgments

We thank S. Novoa (ACCA), G. Palacios (ACA), and A. Felix, K. Nielsen, A. Caceres, I. Canelo, J. Carlos Guerra, O. Liao, y H. Che Piu from USAID’s PREVENT Project, for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that is working with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

This work was also supported by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), ICFC (International Conservation Fund of Canada), and EROL Foundation.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2021) New Illegal Gold Mining Hotspot in Peruvian Amazon – Pariamanu. MAAP: 137.