When fires tore through the Alto Turiaçu Indigenous Territory last year, they left the forest scorched and the Ka'apor people grieving—not only for trees, but for the animals, the vines, and the memory of a landscape their ancestors had tended for generations. A 15-year-old Ka'apor youth suffered severe burns on his feet as flames swept through land that straddles the Brazilian states of Maranhão and Pará. And he was not alone. Fires are increasingly threatening the very existence of isolated Indigenous peoples who call these territories home.
Alto Turiaçu lost 27,243 hectares of tree cover in 2025—93 percent of it caused by fire, according to data from Global Forest Watch analyzed by Mongabay. Just across the country in Rondônia state, the Uru- Eu-Wau-Wau Indigenous Territory, spanning 1.87 million hectares, saw forest loss of 19,639 hectares last year, with fire responsible for 97 percent. In both territories, the overwhelming majority of destruction was primary forest—old-growth canopy that took centuries to develop and cannot be easily replaced.
"The communities suffer from health problems caused by the smoke, difficulties in mobility, and food insecurity because several planting areas are affected," said Almir Narayamoga Suruí, a Paiter Suruí community member. "Culturally, the impact is also very strong because the forest for us is not just a natural resource; it is part of our spirituality, our history, and our identity."
In Alto Turiaçu, the isolated Indigenous people known as the Isolados do Igarapé Jararaca face particular danger. They depend entirely on fishing and hunting—including large rodents like pacas and agoutis—for their survival. When fires drive away or kill game animals, their food security collapses. Madalena Borges, Maranhão state coordinator for the Indigenist Missionary Council, said her organization had received reports of accidents directly caused by the blazes.
The threats extend to Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau as well, home to several tribes including the Japaú, Amondawa, Oro Towati, and Cabixi, as well as an estimated four distinct groups of uncontacted people. Itahu Ka'apor, a Ka'apor leader within Alto Turiaçu, said many game animals died in the fires. "Vines and straw that we use to build our houses were also affected," he said.
Climate scientists warn that a strengthening El Niño pattern predicted for the coming months could make conditions even more dangerous. Warmer temperatures and drier conditions across the Amazon Basin would create more fire-prone conditions at a time when these communities—and the ecosystems they protect—can least afford it.