link to the article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/01/brazil-amazon-rainforest-worst-fires-in-decade
The Amazon Rainforest in Brazil forest fire rates has increased by 13% in the past four months compared to this time last year. Data from space research agency Inpe has shown that these fires have been the worst of the decade. Satellites in this past September recorded 32,017 hotspots in the Amazon, a 61% increase from September 2019.
In August last year, the large fires in the Amazon spiked criticism from world leaders that Brazil was not doing enough to help protect the Amazon. US Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, recently suggested a world effort to offer $20bn to help end Amazon deforestation. He also threatened Brazil with “economic consequences” if it did not “stop tearing down the forest”. Which caused a backlash from the president of brazil who viewed the comment as a “cowardly threat” to Brazil’s sovereignty.
Data shows that this year’s peak has been more sustained than in 2019. Data also shows that August and September 2020 have matched or surpassed last year’s forest fire high for only one month. The fires in September are burning deforested areas and farmland and also virgin forests. If this trend keeps up that could mean the rainforest is becoming drier.
“We have had two months with a lot of fire. It’s already worse than last year,” and “It could get worse if the drought continues.” says science director for Brazil’s Amazon Environmental Research Institute (Ipam).
This is a huge problem that is hard to fix due to the fact the main cause of the fires is the drought they are dealing with. This can really affect the environment for obvious reasons but also it can hurt the economy. If these fires continue to destroy things like farming land or areas in the rainforest where profit comes from could put a dent in the economy. It is so important to bring attention to these fires and to try and get other countries to help recover because there’s not one big solution for forest fires caused by drought.