Massive fires caused by “chaqueos” – a practice of clearing land by fire – have devastated the Bolivian Amazon, with tropical forests destroyed, dozens of communities largely made up of indigenous people displaced and thousands of wildlife charred or dead.
Nearly 25 million acres have burned, declaring the country to be in a state of "national catastrophe" on September 30, 2024.

In this region, fires are not entirely uncommon - largely in part to “clearing” of the land for corporation’s agriculture purposes, however this year, because of drought conditions, trees are much more flammable, causing fires to lose control and rapidly engulf the Amazon,
leaving little time or space for animals and wildlife to flee to safety.

The fires have only further threatened endangered species like the Andean bear, the Wooly monkey, and the Ecuadorian vizcacha near extinction and millions of animals have been burnt or lost their lives charred to death or smoke inhalation without escape.