The worst forest and bush fires in 14 years are raging in Brazil. In August, 68,635 fires were registered in the South American country, according to data from the Institute for Space Research (Inpe), which is responsible for satellite monitoring. This was the highest number in an August since 2010. Most of the fires were reported in the Amazon region and the Cerrado savannah region.
June to October is forest fire season in Brazil. Usually, the trees are felled first and the deforested areas are then set on fire to create new pastures and farmland for growing soy. Because the rainforest in the Amazon region can bind immense amounts of the greenhouse gas CO2, it is also of great importance for the global climate.
This year, the situation is also exacerbated by a severe drought. According to experts, it was triggered by climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240902-930-221110/1
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