Power outages caused by wildfires more than triple in five years.

The number of power outages caused by wildfires more than tripled in Brazil in five years. The number of incidents increased from 24.994 in 2020 to 85.674 in 2025, a rise of 242,8%.

The data is part of a survey by ABRADEE (Brazilian Association of Electric Energy Distributors), compiled with information from... ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency).

Although registrations continue to increase, the growth rate slowed in the last year. In 2025, there was an 11,12% increase compared to the 77.101 occurrences recorded in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the increase had been 34,87%.

The approaching dry season raises the alert level for 2026. The expected occurrence of a Super El Niño could intensify periods of drought and heat waves, creating favorable conditions for the spread of wildfires and increasing risks to electrical infrastructure.

August to October are the peak periods for incidents.

More than half of the power outages recorded in 2024 and 2025 occurred between August and October, a period marked by reduced rainfall across much of the country.

In the combined figures for the two years, September was the most critical month, with 19.674 interruptions. This was followed by August, with 16.889 cases, and October, with 15.443.

In 2025, the period of greatest occurrence extended into October, indicating a possible widening of the risk window due to more severe weather conditions.

The 2026 wildfire season also began with warning signs. By mid-June, there had been an increase in hotspots in the Amazon and the maintenance of a critical corridor encompassing Mato Grosso, Pará, Tocantins, Maranhão, and Bahia, according to an analysis by Climatempo.

The Northeast accounted for 50,86% of power outages caused by wildfires in 2024 and 2025. The North concentrated 31,04% of cases, followed by the Southeast, with 12,12%; the South, with 4,23%; and the Midwest, with 1,74%.

Among the states with the highest number of incidents during this period are Pará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Piauí, Maranhão, and Alagoas. This concentration is mainly associated with the occurrence of long periods of drought and the greater exposure of the electrical grid to fires in vegetation areas.

Distributors expand monitoring.

To reduce the impact on energy supply, distributors have been using drones, helicopters, thermal sensors, and monitoring systems to identify risk areas before fire reaches the electrical infrastructure.

The companies also carry out preventive maintenance and cleaning of the safety zones under the power lines. These actions also include cooperation with meteorological services, the Fire Department, and public agencies to expedite the identification and response to incidents.

Abradee advises the public not to burn vegetation for land clearing, not to release balloons, and to avoid campfires near vegetation or power lines. It also recommends not discarding lit cigarette butts in dry areas.

Upon identifying a fire, the advice is to call the Fire Department at 193 and notify the local power distributor. The public should keep their distance from poles, cables, and equipment that are affected by or threatened by fire.

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