Manaus records an improvement in air quality this Tuesday, but remains the most polluted city in Brazil

At around 5:30 am, the platform's Air Quality Index (AQI⁺) scored 92, classified as moderate. The concentration of PM2.5 fine particles was 31 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). According to IQAir, the level is 6.3 times higher than the annual reference value for this pollutant established by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The scenario represents an improvement compared to recent days. On Monday (12), around 6am, the index reached 195, classified as unhealthy, with a PM2.5 concentration of 123 µg/m³.

The Electronic Environmental Surveillance System (Selva), from the State University of Amazonas (UEA), also showed an improvement in part of the points monitored this Tuesday. In most of them, the air quality was classified as moderate.

In Park 10, the concentration of particles reached 41.7 µg/m³. In the Coroado neighborhood, the index reached 88.8 µg/m³, considered "very bad". In the vicinity of the Puraquequara neighborhood, the concentration was 51.2 µg/m³, classified as "bad".

The improvement occurred after rainfall was recorded around 1:30 am, in neighborhoods such as Compensa, Lírio do Vale, Alvorada and Tarumã, in the West and Central-West zones.

Air quality is considered good by Selva when the concentration of particles is between 0 and 25 µg/m³. Above this level, the indices undergo classifications that vary from moderate to very poor, depending on the scale used by the system.

Manaus City Hall kept municipal classes suspended this Tuesday (13) due to poor air quality. The decision was announced on Monday night (12).

The suspension is preventive and seeks to reduce the exposure of students and education professionals to smoke. Municipal classes were also suspended on Friday (9), for the same reason.

According to City Hall, the smoke that has covered Manaus in recent weeks comes from fires in municipalities in the interior of Amazonas, mainly in the East and Metropolitan regions, as well as other states.

City Hall reported that it continues to monitor atmospheric conditions and advise professionals in the municipal education network on preventive measures to reduce health risks.

The smoke reaching Manaus occurs amid the spread of forest fires in the state. In the first ten days of October, Amazonas recorded 1,380 fires, an increase of 271% compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the Fire Panel, from the Management and Operational Center of the Amazon Protection System (Censipam).

To reinforce the fight against the flames, the federal government mobilized planes and helicopters, distributed between the Metropolitan Region of Manaus and the interior of the state.

Four Air Tractor planes operate in Autazes and around the capital, from the Manaus Air Base. Two others operate in the Itacoatiara region, while a KC-390 cargo plane from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) was directed to Parintins. The aircraft has the capacity to release up to 12 thousand liters of water in a single pass.

In addition to the planes, three helicopters are available for different operational missions. In Itacoatiara, a support base for air operations is also being structured.