Amazon forest on fire, Brazil under a dark spell of smoke

The Amazonia forest in Brazil has been burning for 3 weeks now creating a life-threatening national emergency. The unprecedented fire has cast a dark cloud of smoke over São Paulo. 

This is not the first incident of the Amazon forest burning. This year alone the Amazon rainforest has burnt a record number of fires with an 83% increase from the last year. 

The smoke from the fires has been captured both by NASA and NOAA satellites from space. 

Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world is home to about three million species of animals and plants and about a million indigenous people. It is a vital carbon store responsible for slowing down the pace of global warming. 

Of the 73,000 fires in Brazil in 2019, more than half of them have occurred in the Amazon region. Scientists believe that the fire is a big blow to the fight against climate change.

The smoke from the fire traveled 2,700 kilometers, all the way to the city of São Paulo turning the sky pitch black in the middle of the afternoon. 

This is the sky of the biggest city in the country of Brazil, São Paulo at 2-3 P.M.

The smoke of the burning Amazon Rainforest has covered it entirely.

OUR PLANET IS DETERIORATING BEFORE OUR EYES AS A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE!

THIS IS FRIGHTENING! pic.twitter.com/Xygb4NeikW

— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) August 20, 2019

President Jair Bolsonaro, when asked about the fire said, “The dry season creates the favorable conditions for the use and spread of fire, but starting a fire is the work of humans, either deliberately or by accident.” Mr. Bolsonaro accused the NGOs of setting the fires as a result of the slashing of funds by the government. On the other hand, environmental groups are blaming him for the forest fires accusing him of encouraging deforestations and relaxing environmental laws in the country. 

People all over the world are tweeting about Amazonia forest fires

When a massive fire ravaged Notre Dame, many rich people helped and donated but where are you rich people at now the Amazon is burning? #AmazonFire #PrayForTheAmazon pic.twitter.com/aDdDfx2rRi

— TITO LAN (@froilansam) August 21, 2019

This is ALARMING you guys…
THE AMAZON rainforest has been on fire for THREE weeks and we’re just finding out about this 🙏🏽 #AmazonFire #PrayForTheAmazon pic.twitter.com/2XQnSDK5K9

— Nathalie Muñoz (@NathalieMunozx3) August 21, 2019

Amazon is referred to as our planet’s lungs producing 20% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It is considered vital in slowing down global warming. Our planet’s lungs are on fire and it is believed to exacerbate the already deteriorating climate crisis we are facing today.

EcoRight

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