Manaus Wildfire Smoke Shuts Schools in the Amazon

Manaus wildfire smoke has shut down life in the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon. On Friday, Manaus suspended in-person work at municipal offices and cancelled public school classes as the dry season approached its peak, and residents were told to wear face masks. If you've been wondering what an intensifying El Niño looks like on the ground, this is it.

The city said pollutant concentrations averaged 196 micrograms per cubic meter, which is considered unhealthy and far above the normal range of about 3 to 9, according to The Associated Press. In a statement, officials said Manaus has been hit for several days by heavy smoke from fires elsewhere in Amazonas state and in other states.

Schools shut as the haze thickens

According to France 24 and AFP, the city shut public schools as smoke from hundreds of wildfires blanketed the metropolis amid an intensifying El Niño event. Brazil is facing weather extremes from one of the strongest El Niño events in decades, with the government warning of more rain and floods in the south and drought and wildfires in the north.

Local outlet G1 reported that the Rio Negro bridge crossing was swallowed by haze on Friday morning, and that the federal and state universities and the Amazonas federal institute suspended or reorganized in-person classes. G1 also reported that Manaus had the worst air quality in Brazil for the second day in a row, according to the IQAir platform.

The numbers behind the fires

The state of Amazonas recorded more than 3,700 fire hotspots in September, nearly four times as many as the previous year, according to satellite data cited by AFP. G1 put the exact figure at 3,726 versus 942 in September 2025.

Zoom out and the picture is more mixed. As of Thursday the Brazilian Amazon had recorded about 33,556 fire hotspots this year, per Brazil's National Institute for Space Research as cited by AP. That is nearly 50% more than the same period in 2025, but about 53% below the historical average.

Fires have also moved around. Early in the season they clustered in the north, in Roraima and Amapá. More recently, AP says, they have increased near Manaus, in southern Amazonas and around Santarém in Pará.

What residents are dealing with

G1 reported that Careiro da Várzea, in the Manaus metropolitan region, had been burning for ten days, with forest being destroyed by the flames. Nearly 20,000 fire hotspots were registered in the state in the first eight days of October, most of them caused by human action according to firefighters, the outlet said. Smoke has affected more than 20 cities, including the capital.

Another G1 report said a NASA satellite image captured the smoke blanketing Manaus and surrounding areas on Friday, and that the fire at Lago do Canaçari near Itacoatiara had reached its 20th day, consuming about 1,300 hectares. For locals, the Manaus wildfire smoke means masks, closed classrooms and a sky that barely shows the sun.

The health toll

Smoke is not just a vibe-killer. Amazonas health officials reported 82 urgent-care visits in Manaus from October 1 to 8 linked to smoke, and 375 since July 1, according to G1. Civil defense and health authorities are advising people to avoid prolonged exposure and to drink water.

Why El Niño matters here

El Niño is a cyclical climate pattern that normally raises temperatures and worsens drought in the Amazon. AP notes that during the 2023 and 2024 El Niño, temperatures rose 2 to 4 degrees Celsius above the forest's historical average, fueling the Amazon's worst wildfires in two decades. Several studies suggest the effects could be more severe in 2027, when the pattern may disrupt the next rainy season.

AP also stresses that most Amazon wildfires are not natural but started by humans. Brazil's Environment Ministry says it has deployed fire crews and aircraft to Amazonas, notified rural property owners to take steps to prevent and fight fires, and is stepping up on-the-ground inspections to investigate the illegal use of fire.

The Amazon stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide and generates atmospheric moisture that helps regulate weather far beyond South America, so what burns there is everyone's problem. For now, Manaus is a live preview of the risk. Want more on the climate fight? Check our climate coverage and world news.