The National Space Research Institute (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, INPE) in Brazil reported that there have been a record 72,843 fires so far in the Amazon in 2019. The cause: deforestation.
According to National Geographic, the fires are burning so intensely that nearby cities are covered with a dark mist. And only 9,000 of those fires were detected in the past two weeks.
In addition, the NASA mentioned on August 11 that these events were lo large that they were able to be observed from space.
“This is, without a doubt, one of the two times in which there have been fires of this magnitude in the Amazon,” said Thomas Lovejoy, a National Geographic ecologist and explorer. He also considers that the cause is without doubt deforestation.
Many people have been helping and donating money and medical supplies to help the indigenous people on the Amazon and the wildlife that have suffered the consequences of the flames and smoke. One of those is actor Leonardo DiCaprio, through an environmental group he founded called Earth alliance and who announced today a donation of $5 million US dollars to help fight the fires.
“The initial monetary commitment will help ‘focus critical resources on the key protections needed to maintain the ‘lungs of the planet’’, Earth Alliance explained in a post, encouraging members of the public to donate as well”, you can read in The Guardian.
The funds will be distributed directly to local partners and indigenous communities that protect the Amazon.
Cover Photo Pxhere.
