A large area of jungle is consumed by the flames of one of the great fires that plague the Amazon near Porto Velho on Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo: Joedson Alves/EFE via ZUMA Press)
The famous Amazon rainforest, covering much of northwestern Brazil and parts of Colombia, Peru and other South American countries, is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, famed for its biodiversity. While the rainforest is known for various reasons, it has been in news recently for the most worrisome reason. According to a report by the National Institute for Space Research, Brazil's Amazon rainforest has seen a record number of fires this year.
In 2019, between January and August, nearly 73,000 fires were recorded, and many have continued to burn for a number of days, without receiving much attention from the concerned authorities. Recent satellite images have spotted more than 9,500 new forest fires since last week alone, mostly in the Amazon basin. (AP)
A helicopter flies over Santa Cruz, where there are big forest fires on Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo: Adolfo Lino/EFE via ZUMA Press)
View of one of the fires, in the Amazon of Rondonia, Brazil, Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo: Joedson Alves/EFE via ZUMA Press)
Aerial scenes show fires in various regions of the Jamari Forest Reserve, near Porto Velho, Rondonia on Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo: Dario Oliveira/EFE via ZUMA Press)
A fire burns out of control after spreading onto a farm along a highway in Nova Santa Helena municipality in northern Mato Grosso State, south in the Amazon basin in Brazil, on Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo: Joao Laet/AFP/Getty Images)
View of a burnt area after a fire in the Amazon rainforest near Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil, on Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Joao Laet/AFP/Getty Images)
A laborer with a friend looks at a fire that spread to the farm he works on next to a highway in Nova Santa Helena municipality in northern Mato Grosso State, south in the Amazon basin in Brazil, on Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo: Joao Laet/AFP/Getty Images)
A volunteer works to put out a fire in Aguas Calientes on the outskirts of Robore, Bolivia, Aug. 24, 2019. (Photo: Juan Karita/AP)
A laborer gestures as he looks at a fire that spread to the farm he works on next to a highway in Nova Santa Helena municipality in northern Mato Grosso State, south in the Amazon basin in Brazil, on Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo: Joao Laet/AFP/Getty Images)
In this aerial image, a fire burns in a section of the Amazon rain forest on August 25, 2019 in the Candeias do Jamari region near Porto Velho, Brazil. (Photo: Victor Moriyama/Getty Images)
An airplane drops fire retardant on a wildfire burning in the Chiquitana Forest near Robore, Bolivia, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Juan Karita/AP)
Brazilian Neri dos Santos, 48, looks at a fire at the farm where he works in Nova Santa Helena municipality, Mato Grosso state, in the Amazon basin, Brazil, on Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo: Joao Laet/AFP/Getty Images)
Charred trees stand after a forest fire in the Vila Nova Samuel region, along the road to the Jacunda National Forest near the city of Porto Velho, Rondonia state, part of Brazil's Amazon, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP)
Residents motorcycle amid smoke from forest fires at dawn in the Vila Nova Samuel region, along the road to the National Forest of Jacunda, near the city of Porto Velho, Rondonia state, part of Brazil's Amazon, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP)
Firefighters walk across charred land to another area as they work to put out fires along the road to Jacunda National Forest in the Vila Nova Samuel region, near the city of Porto Velho in Rondonia state, part of Brazil's Amazon, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP)
Smoke billows in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas state, in Brazil on Aug. 17. (Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)
Cattle stand near a wooded area smoldering in the Alvorada da Amazonia region in Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Leo Correa/AP)
Fire consumes a field along the BR 070 highway near Cuiaba, Mato Grosso state, Brazil, Aug. 25, 2019. Experts say most of the fires are set by farmers or ranchers clearing existing farmland, but the same monitoring agency has reported a sharp increase in deforestation this year as well. (Photo: Andre Penner/AP)
Charred trees stand as a forest fire sweeps through the Vila Nova Samuel region, along the road to the Jacunda National Forest near the city of Porto Velho, Rondonia state, part of Brazil's Amazon, Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP)
Fires burning in the Amazon rainforest pictured from space, captured by the geostationary weather satellite GOES-16 on Aug. 21. (Photo: NASA/NOAA/handout via Reuters)
Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas state, in Brazil on Aug. 14. (Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)
A raging fire in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Tocantins in Brazil. (Photo: Dida Sampaio/Agencia Estado/handout via Xinhua/ ZUMA Wire)
A charred trunk on a tract of Amazon jungle that was recently burned by loggers and farmers in Iranduba, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Aug. 20. (Photo: Bruno Kelly/Reuters)
A raging fire in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, on Aug. 17. (Photo: Dida Sampaio/Agencia Estado/Handout via Xinhua/ ZUMA Wire)
A tract of Amazon jungle burning in Novo Airao, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Aug. 21. (Photo: Bruno Kelly/Reuters)
A tract of Amazon jungle burning in Iranduba, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Aug. 20. (Photo: Bruno Kelly/Reuters)
A man works in a burning tract of Amazon jungle in Iranduba, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Aug. 20. (Photo: Bruno Kelly/Reuters)
A wildfire near Robore, Santa Cruz region, Bolivia, on Aug. 21. (Photo: Stringer/AFPTV/AFP/Getty Images)
Fire in the Amazon rainforest in Tocantins state, Brazil, on Aug. 17. (Photo: Dida Sampaio/Agencia Estado/Handout via Xinhua/ ZUMA Wire)
Bolivian soldiers at a forest wildfire near Robore, Santa Cruz region, Bolivia, on Aug. 22. (Photo: Stringer/AFPTV/AFP/Getty Images)
A tract of Amazon jungle burns in Novo Airao, Amazonas state, Brazil, on Aug. 21. (Photo: Bruno Kelly/Reuters)
A firefighter at a wildfire near Robore, Santa Cruz region, Bolivia, on Aug. 22. (Photo: Stringer/AFPTV/AFP/Getty Images)
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