The Amazon Rainforest Is Burning At An Alarming Rate

Record breaking fires


Article heading image for The Amazon Rainforest Is Burning At An Alarming Rate

The Amazon rainforest is burning at an alarming rate, say officials.

So far, there’s been over 73,000 fires detected – meaning an 83 per cent increase from 2018.

Brazil’s largest city were plunged into darkness yesterday afternoon as plumes of smoke blocked the sun at around 3pm.

But the converns are more far reaching – the Amazon rainforest generartes more than 20 per cent of the world’s oxygen and 10 per cent of the world’s known biodiversity.

The fire is believed to be caused by people clearing land for farming - combined with July and August being the driest months of the year. 

Actor and climate activist Leonardo DiCaprio took to Instagram to talk about the disaster: 

"Terrifying to think that the Amazon is the largest rain forest on the planet, creating 20% of the earth’s oxygen, basically the lungs of the world, has been on fire and burning for the last 16 days running, with literally NO media coverage whatsoever! Why?" 

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21 August 2019




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