Forest fires see a spike in Brazilian Amazon in July
Amazon forest fires increase
The Brazilian Amazon witnessed an eight per cent rise in forest fires in July this year compared with the same month in 2021, AFP reported. According to the Brazilian space agency, INPE, satellite monitoring revealed that Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, battled 5,373 fires in July 2022, while the number stood at 4,977 in the same month last year.Although forest fires in the Amazon rainforest are a common phenomenon at this time due to the dry weather, the rising number of fires is a cause of concern.
Experts attribute most of these fires to farmers and land grabbers who intentionally set fires to clear the ground for agricultural purposes after extracting wood.
Also Read |Brazil: Amazon deforestation sets new six-month record
"It's only the beginning of the Amazon dry season, when the number of criminal forest fires unfortunately explodes," Romulo Batista of Greenpeace Brazil said.
These fires not only destroy the environment, but they also pose grave risk to the health of human beings.
"In addition to decimating the forest and its biodiversity, those fires and destruction also affect the local population's health due to smoke inhalation," Batista further said.
Overall, forest fires in the Amazon have seen an increase this year. INPE says that there have been 12,906 forest fires so far, up 13 percent from the same period last year.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Also Read |Fire engulfs Amazon rainforest in Brazil
Several experts say that President Jair Bolsonaro’s move to roll back environmental protections has further emboldened loggers and land speculators, leading to a surge in fires and deforestation.
Reportedly, average annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has increased by 75 percent compared to the previous decade since Bolsonaro took office in 2019.
Worryingly, rising temperatures are fueling forest fires across the world, with California, Portugal and France battling raging fires in the past few days.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
