Bolivia has lost 50.6 million hectares of forests and grasslands to wildfires since 2015, with 2024 among the worst years recorded.
According to the United Nations Programme for Development (UNDP), 12.6 million hectares were burned in 2024 alone, including 7.2 million hectares of forest and 1.4 million hectares of primary forest.
The Ministry of Environment and Water’s General Directorate of Forest Management and Development supplied this data, with additional figures verified by Forest Watch.
UNDP noted that wildfires have far-reaching socioeconomic consequences.
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Development Economics found that households in affected regions saw poverty increase by 8% after one year and 7.7% after two years, primarily due to declines in agricultural income.
UNDP stated that ecological threats are closely tied to social vulnerability, noting that communities in Bolivia face widening development gaps, especially among women and children.
UNDP reported that between February and November 2024, social media platforms produced 64,600 mentions related to wildfires.
The analysis was conducted by Onclusive, a media monitoring firm, and covered platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, and blogs.
Mentions spiked between July and November, especially in September, aligning with the peak fire season in Bolivia.
UNDP noted that public discourse on forest fires remains reactive and short-lived, with conversations declining rapidly after the fire season ends.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra was the most active location in terms of posts and interactions, followed by Sucre, Cochabamba, and Tarija.
UNDP also highlighted that the Air Quality Index in Santa Cruz exceeded World Health Organization guidelines by more than tenfold, based on data from IQAir.
The analysis by UNDP identified 11,900 unique profiles engaging with wildfire-related content, leading to 1.3 million interactions.
Media outlets were found to be the most influential actors in the digital conversation.
The top ten most active and impactful profiles belonged to national news organizations and television channels.
UNDP stated that public discourse is shaped primarily by institutional voices rather than personal or grassroots accounts.
While terms like “forest fires” and “volunteer firefighters” were common, references to vulnerable groups such as “indigenous peoples,” “women,” and “children” were mostly absent.
Mentions of government roles were limited to risk management activities, with little discussion about policy or structural causes.
To address these gaps, UNDP proposed four measures to strengthen the use of social media in forest fire prevention.
First, it called for enhanced journalist engagement, encouraging reporters to adopt long-term, expert-informed approaches in coverage of wildfires.
Second, UNDP recommended support for environmental and youth organizations to increase their influence in digital conversations.
Third, it urged the private sector to integrate forest fire prevention into corporate sustainability practices, especially through platforms like the Bolivia Global Compact.
Finally, the organization emphasized the role of national and local governments in developing digital campaigns that highlight wildfire causes, prevention strategies, and legal accountability.
UNDP said that a stronger presence of coordinated messaging across digital platforms could improve public awareness and response times.
UNDP stated that Bolivia must shift from reaction to prevention as wildfire threats grow.
The agency explained that its current strategy includes providing equipment, training communities in prevention, and strengthening institutions at the local level.
The organization also emphasized the importance of integrating civil society, particularly youth, into national and regional communication strategies.
UNDP said that government actors must lead with consistent, accessible social media campaigns, and that digital messaging should be aligned with broader climate and resilience agendas.
Efforts will focus on building a sustained public dialogue around fire risk, moving beyond seasonal coverage and reactive narratives.
UNDP highlighted the need for long-term digital engagement to support environmental responsibility and reduce exposure to fire hazards.
Bolivia lost 12.6 million hectares to wildfires in 2024, according to UNDP.
57% of the burned area was forest, including 1.4 million hectares of primary forest.
Forest Watch and the Ministry of Environment and Water provided source data.
Poverty rose by 8% one year after wildfires in affected areas, a study in the Journal of Development Economics found.
UNDP reported 64,600 social media mentions about fires between February and November 2024.
Mentions peaked in September, aligning with Bolivia’s peak fire season.
Santa Cruz had the most interactions and the highest air pollution levels.
Institutional accounts dominated digital discussions, led by media outlets.
Mentions of vulnerable groups such as women and indigenous peoples were minimal.
UNDP recommends preventive digital strategies involving media, youth, and companies.
It called for stronger government-led campaigns to raise awareness and encourage reporting.
UNDP is supporting Bolivia through training, equipment, and institutional development.
