Satellites detected 11,434 fire hotspots in the Amazon in July, the highest number since 2005, Inpe data showed
The number of fires in the Amazon reached the highest level for the month of July in almost two decades, data released by the government showed on Thursday (1), amid a drought in the region aggravated by climate change.
The largest tropical rainforest in the world, the Amazon plays a vital role in combating global warming because of the large amount of greenhouse gases it absorbs.
Satellites
Satellites detected 11,434 fire hotspots in the Amazon in July, the highest number since 2005, data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) showed.
Fire hotspots are the biggest indicator of the presence of fire in the region, but they don’t classify how severe the flames are.
More precise data for June, which calculates the area, showed 17,582 square kilometers burned in the Amazon, the highest figure since 2003.
The drought that has plagued the Amazon since last year means that there is more dry vegetation to feed the fires, which usually peak between the end of August and the beginning of September.
Not occur naturally
Fires in the Amazon rainforest do not occur naturally. They are started by people, very often farmers who want to clear the land to plant soybeans or use it as pasture for their cattle.
On Wednesday, during a visit to the Pantanal, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sanctioned a new law establishing a fire control policy. The region has also suffered intense fires earlier than expected.
The new law prohibits the practice of setting fires in green areas to destroy forests or other native vegetation, with the intention of using them for agriculture or any other use. There are few exceptions in the law. Lula said on the X platform that the legislation will also help improve firefighting.
Across the border, Bolivia and Venezuela are also witnessing record fires in their portions of the forest.