megafires
Amazon's growing fire crisis: a deep dive into the rainforest's struggle
The Amazon is experiencing increasingly frequent and intense megafires, exacerbated by climate change and human activities, leading to significant ecological damage and carbon emissions.
In short:
- The Amazon is experiencing unprecedented megafires, with flames reaching more than 10 meters high, signaling a dire environmental crisis.
- These fires, often caused by human activities like crop burning and deforestation, are releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide, exacerbating climate change.
- The 2023 fires, some of the worst in decades, highlight the vulnerability of the Amazon, with scientists warning of a grim future where such fires become the norm.
Key quote:
"When I see the rainforest burning, I know what I’m really seeing is Amazonia dying."
— Erika Berenguer, Brazilian researcher at the University of Oxford
Why this matters:
The Amazon's megafires not only release vast amounts of carbon, worsening global climate change, but also destroy vital ecosystems. This ongoing crisis emphasizes the urgent need for global attention and action to protect one of the planet's most crucial natural resources.
How megafires are remaking the world
How megafires are remaking the world
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Six wildland firefighters reflect on the brutal job of battling blazes
Firefighters have stories that are often overshadowed by the fires they work on, but their struggles have undoubtedly garnered more attention recently as fire seasons grow, and as more firefighters leave the profession and advocate for those who continue to stick it out.