The Amazon is on fire. What can we do?

The Amazon rainforest is burning. A blanket of dark smoke covers the Brazilian state of Roraima. A state of emergency was declared in Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Over 2,700 kilometers away, the sky suddenly went dark over 12 million people in Sao Paolo, prompting many to post photos with the hashtag #prayforamazonia. The devastation is so large, it can be seen from space.

What caused the fires? Are they being put out? What impact does the burning South American rainforest have on the rest of the world, and what can we do about it?

How big are the fires?

According to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE, Brazil’s version of NASA), 72,843 fires have been detected in Brazil since January this year. That’s an 83% increase from the same time period just last year and the highest on record since they began keeping records six years ago. Last week alone saw 9,507 new fires, mostly in the Amazon basin. 

According to the National Institute for Space Research, 72,843 fires have been detected in Brazil since January this year.

Using data from NASA’s EARTHDATA program, which monitors active fires globally, Quartz has produced a map of currently active fires, which stretch across Brazil and South America but are most dense in the Brazilian states surrounding and including the Amazon rainforest. 

What caused the fires?

It is currently the dry season across Brazil when wildfires are not uncommon. However, the frequency and intensity of the current fires cannot be explained by naturally occurring wildfires alone. 

In fact, farmers often take advantage of the dry conditions this time of year to purposefully set fires with the intent of clearing land for cattle ranching. With minimum startup costs and easy access to the land, cattle ranching is an appealing way for those in the rural surrounding areas to earn a living. Farmers first cut the trees down and leave them to dry out. They later set fire to the fallen trees so that their ashes will fertilize the soil. 

Droughts can also lead to more widespread fires in a kind of feedback loop. Starved...

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