Earth’s lungs on fire: Amazon rainforest records 75,000 fires in less than 8 months
This year, the Amazon rainforest recorded 75,000 fires in less than eight months, compared to the same period in 2018, which saw 40,000 fires.
If increasing temperatures and ice caps melting rapidly weren’t enough, the Amazon rainforest, often regarded as ‘Lungs of Earth’, recorded 75,000 fires since January 2019.
Home to a million indigenous people and three million plant and animal species, the rainforest is located in Brazil and produces nearly 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen.
The forests are burning at a record rate this year. In fact, Brazil’s largest city Sao Paulo was engulfed in dark smoke from the forest fire located 3,218.68 km away.
The city was engulfed by black smoke during the afternoon (Image: Live Science)
Moreover, the smoke is reported to have covered around 3.1 million square kilometres. The situation is so serious that the fire can be seen from space as well.
So, what led the fire?
According to INPE, Brazil’s space research centre, there were 40,000 forest fires reported in the same period in 2018.
The reason is still unknown as officials like Brazilian federal prosecutors have decided to take up the issue and investigate into the matter of rising in deforestation and forest fires.
Smoke can be seen from the Amazon forest fires captured by NASA's satellite (Image: NASA)
So far, the obvious reason is human beings and our activities. According to CNN, environmental organisations and researchers said that the wildfire is caused due to cattle ranchers and loggers who have cleared the land for their use.
In a statement, Christian Poirier, Programme Director of non-profit organisation Amazon Watch, said,
“Most of these fires are human-lit. Even during dry seasons, the Amazon - a humid rainforest - doesn't catch on fire easily, unlike the dry bushland in California or Australia”, reports CNN.
How bad is the situation and what can be done?
According to the BBC, an area of Amazon rainforest equal to the size of a football pitch is lost every single minute. Moreover, the rate of loss has spiked since Brazil’s new right-wing president has favoured industrial development over conservation.
The fire has gravely affected North Brazil as Roraima saw an increase of 141 percent in fires, Acre 138 percent, Rondônia 115 percent, and Amazonas 81 percent. Mato Grosso do Sul, further South, saw a 114 percent increase, reports BBC.
Amazon Forest Fires (Image: Express)
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that these fires are an international crisis. He added that this issue needs to be the top agenda at the G7 Summit, which will also be attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
President Macron tweeted,
“Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen - is on fire. It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit let's discuss this emergency first order in two days! #ActForTheAmazon.”
If you want to help, CNET says you can donate to the Rainforest Action Network, which would protect an acre of the rainforest.
Since 1998, Rainforest Trust has saved 23 million acres of forest lands, and you can help them save more.
