Wildfires in the Amazon Threaten the Survival of Species and Human Lives

Wildfires spread in the Amazon (Photo: AP News / Eraldo Peres)

Wildfires in the Amazon are rapidly increasing as a result of climate change and illegal deforestation. Wildfire season in the Amazon used to span three months, from August to October; however, climate change, deforestation, and increased use of land for farming has dramatically increased the season to six months, leading to greater destruction of flora and fauna.

As one of the most biodiverse landscapes on the planet, the Amazon is needed to sustain life for a multitude of different species and people. The Amazon contains around 10 percent of the world's known species; massive in size, it extends across nine different countries including Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname, 60% of it being Brazilian territory. It is host to a plethora of animal and plant species but also more than 200 distinct indigenous groups call the Amazon their home. As such a critical area, the Amazon requires a breadth of different policies to ensure its protection, put in place by countries and organizations alike.

In recent months, forest fires have ravaged the rainforest. Some are naturally occurring,  while others intentionally set, with many illegal farmers and loggers setting acres of land ablaze to make room for pastures. The race for illegally obtaining land in the Amazon is a violent endeavor that has created armed criminal organizations that evoke terror throughout the region.

 One of the largest deforesters of the Amazon—Pozzebon, who was released from prison, owned more than 100 sawmills in the Amazon and hired hundreds of gunmen for enforcement. This race for control over land has been classified as guerilla warfare, one that is difficult to halt thanks to the criminal's extensive knowledge of the area. Many fires are not only a grab for land, but also retaliation to the current Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva's crackdown on deforestation and increased punishment for illegal logging and mining criminals.  

Although most of the fires are man-made, a large amount are a result of a record level of drought, leaving most rivers completely dry. The drought leaves the atmosphere incredibly dry and increases atmospheric temperature, which are optimal conditions for the wildfires. The world relies on the Amazon to filter large amounts of carbon, but wildfires are releasing this stored carbon at incredibly high rates, putting our atmosphere at risk. The drought reduces food production and has left many stranded with no transportation to neighboring cities. As a result, thousands of animal species and human lives are at risk. 

Firefighters attempt to put out the fires (Photo: Eraldo Peres)

The Brazilian government and local organizations have been working hard to reduce these fires. Brazil has positioned more than 7,000 workers and volunteers to attempt to stop the spread. In addition, environmental nonprofit organizations such as Greenpeace have invested in resources and infrastructure to attempt to minimize the destruction.