Population awareness campaign against fires in Betsiboka. Bushfires and forest fires are spreading at an alarming rate. Satellite images published on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development reveal numerous fire hotspots. In total, 3,036 fire points were detected across Madagascar on September 17, compared to 2,407 on September 14. Those located inside or around protected areas remain numerous: 276 hotspots were recorded on September 17, against 164 three days earlier. These figures represent a sharp increase compared to September 2025. During the same period last year, only around one thousand fire points had been detected. "Fires depend on the season, but the risk of fire outbreak increases when the El Niño phenomenon occurs," explains a source within the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The peak of fires, generally observed in October and November, has not yet been reached. "With El Niño, the peak period could extend and fires could intensify slightly, depending on weather conditions. As soon as rain falls, fires decrease," the same source adds. Very Intense According to the latest forecasts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), El Niño could become "very intense" in the coming months. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has placed Madagascar at a level of "very high concern" regarding risks of drought, flooding, and worsening food insecurity linked to this climate phenomenon. On the ground, extinguishing fires remains difficult in certain areas. "In three weeks, we faced four or five bushfires. Some reached villages because the wind was too strong to allow us to extinguish them quickly," indicates the gendarmerie of the Sofia region. Residents critically lack equipment to fight these fires. The Ministry of Environment claims, however, that a contingency plan against fires is available. Miangaly Ralitera