The inflammatory activity of wood fires has gone forth a devastating force in the largest rainforest in the Earth, or more popularly known to us as “The Lungs of the World” or, the Amazon rainforest; leaving tropical vegetation, animal life razed. It has led to nearly 9.5 thousand new forest fires since 15 August, mostly in the Amazon basin, Brazil.
Statistics
As of now, the numbers of forest fires have risen to 74k, which is almost double of that of last whole year which was 40k, thus marking a steep inclination in the numbers by 83% reported as per Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. 2019 has reached to a record no. of forest fires recorded since 2013 still with 4 more months to go.
The role of this vast rainforest is hardly unknown to anyone it is the maintenance of the Carbon Dioxide level so that the flora can take it in and release oxygen, beneficial to us, during photosynthesis, thereby producing 20% of the world’s required Oxygen.
Sources of such devastation
The risk of forest fires rises, notably during the dry time of year, that is, from July to October in general and late September in particular. These are the result of both natural as well as artificial activities.
Natural sources that create these types of danger are lightning strikes, rubbing against branches by branches. Man made forest fires are made when farmers and wood cutters intentionally set parts of rainforests on fire to open land for industrial and agricultural use.
Impact of it
The deadly fire is still raging and is having widespread effects in the whole of Brazil, the nearby states of Pará, Mato Grosso and even in São Paulo, a city which is 3.2k km away from the station. The sky of the megacity in the broad sunlight became blotted due to the burning smoke of the fire, reported as per locals in a round 3pm to 4pm. The blazes have in total created a smoked layer of width of about 1.2M sq. miles.
Apart from these devastating fires, comes another worried thought of deforestation in the rainforest. July 2019, has set a new record of most deforestation in a month. So, the Amazon had shrunk by 1,345 sq. km that is double the size of Tokyo.
Brazilian satellites reported that 3 football fields’ worth of Amazonian trees were felled every minute last month. The percentage had jumped up by 39% since last year’s July.
This vast amount of deforestation is linked with the advent of such unwanted, problematic forest fires. This is because of the most dangerous creature alive on earth- Man. Farmers set fire to parts of this rain forest to clear land for allocating room for livestock pastures and crop growing and then thus the ignition spreads and causes a disaster, a worldwide concerned matter.
Widespread affecting sources
None but warmer and drier climates catalyze the spreading capability of such fires as it would have otherwise been.
Not only that, but Global warming also is responsible for such disasters, and sadly, most humans are responsible for it. And so as of today, by and large because of Global warming due to us, parts of British Columbia, Canada, Alaska and even Siberian regions are also biting.
This is a worldwide threat to us. If we require the goodwill of our coming generations, we must indulge in every life saving activity and also become involved in reducing such disastrous acts. Only then we would be able to evade from such dangerous fires, global warming and together make it a beautiful place to live in, for you and for me.
