NASA researchers discover hidden fires burning beneath the Amazon rainforest canopy

Researchers at NASA have uncovered dozens of previously undetected fires burning beneath the Amazon rainforest canopy, according to ScienceDaily Earth Science and Nature World News. Severe drought linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon is fueling the spread of wildfires across the region, causing smoke to fill Brazilian cities such as Manaus. [1][4]

ScienceDaily Earth Science and Science Daily both report that the hidden fires suggest overall forest destruction may be significantly more extensive than standard satellite records show. A NASA scientist described the Amazon rainforest as the second domino in an El Niño fire chain, according to Nature World News. [1][3][4]

The Amazon rainforest covers 6 million square kilometers across South America and spans nine nations. As FTMQ Science reported earlier, forest clearing in the Brazilian Amazon had dropped by 42 percent to a record low of 3,335 square kilometers for the 12 months ending in July 2026. However, severe drought conditions now threaten to reverse ecological stability. [5][7]

ScienceDaily Earth Science reports that scientists are warning that the worst of the wildfire impact may still be ahead as El Niño continues to drive dry conditions across the tropics. [1]