Smoke Darkens the Sky
Fires in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest are burning so rapidly that smoke is darkening the sky above São Paulo. The city is more than 1,700 miles away from the burning rainforest. Images emerging on social media show the sky blacked out in the middle of the afternoon, the sun unable to penetrate the smoke and ash. (1)
Two-thirds of the Amazon lies in Brazil, with smaller portions in other South American countries such as Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Copernicus, a satellite program of the European Union, has released a map showing how far smoke from the fires has spread. Almost half of Brazil is covered in smoke. It is also traveling to neighboring countries Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. (1)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared photos in which the fires can be seen from space. The photos were taken using a weather satellite shared by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2)
Brazil’s space research center, INPE, says the Amazon is experiencing more forest fires in 2019 than in any year since they began tracking them in 2013. At the time of this writing, the country has had over 72,000 fires in 2019 so far. More than half have been in the Amazon. This is more than 80% higher than during the same period in 2018. (1) The INPE provides daily updates regarding the number of fire outbreaks and can be located here.
Environmental Impact Of Amazon Rainforest Fires
At around half the size of the United States, the Amazon is the largest rainforest on earth. It houses 3 million species of plants and animals, and 1 million indigenous people call it home. The rainforest has been nicknamed “the planet’s lungs” because it produces about 20% of the world’s oxygen. Currently, environmentalists consider the Amazon to crucial in slowing global warming. But the World Wildlife Fund says that if the rainforest is critically damaged by these fires, it could start emitting carbon instead of oxygen, speeding climate change. (1, 3, 4)
Origin Of The Fires
It is normal for farmers in this region to use fires to clear vegetation during the dry season, the peak being in September. But there is a much larger number of fires than normal this year, and the destruction has been described as unprecedented. (3)
Many environmental groups are placing blame on Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro. During his campaign, he promised to develop the Amazon region in order to bolster the Brazilian economy. Bolsonaro weakened regulations against illegal deforestation earlier in 2019. Activists say this encouraged farmers, loggers, and ranchers to burn the rainforest without fear of retribution. (3, 5)
Since Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, the Amazon has lost 1330 square miles of rainforest. This is an increase of 39% compared to 2018. But Bolsonaro has not been willing to take responsibility for the fires. In July 2019, he fired INPE’s director, saying the organization was lying about the scope of the fires in the Amazon Rainforest. (4, 5)
When Will The Fires Be Put Out?
It is unclear when and how the fires in the Amazon will be stopped. President Bolsonaro has said that his country is not equipped to put them out. Organizations like the World Wildlife Fund continue to educate the public and advocate for aid in stopping the fires. What is clear is that the fires will have both immediate and lasting consequences for the people and wildlife who call the Amazon their home and for the world as a whole in terms of climate change. (1, 5)
Update August 28, 2019, from NASA: ‘As of August 16, 2019, an analysis of NASA satellite data indicated that total fire activity across the Amazon basin this year has been close to the average in comparison to the past 15 years.’ (6)
