2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires |
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Locations of fires, marked in orange, which were detected by MODIS from August 15 to 22, 2019
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| Location | Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | >40,000 |
| Cost | >$900 billion (2019 USD) |
| Date(s) | January–October 2019 |
| Burned area | 906,000 hectares (2,240,000 acres; 9,060 km2; 3,500 sq mi) |
| Cause | Slash-and-burn approach to deforest land for agriculture and effects of climate change and global warming due to unusually longer dry season and above average temperatures worldwide throughout 2019 |
| Land use | Agricultural development |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Map | |
 Amazon rainforest ecoregions as delineated by the WWF in white and the Amazon drainage basin in blue. |
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The 2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires were a series of large fires that happened in the Amazon rainforest and nearby areas in 2019. These fires mostly affected Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. Fires often occur during the Amazon's dry season. This is because people use a method called slash-and-burn to clear land. They do this to make space for farms, raising animals, cutting down trees for wood, and mining. This activity leads to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, which means cutting down forests.
Even though clearing land this way is usually against the law, it's not always stopped. The large number of fires in 2019 worried people around the world. The Amazon rainforest is very important because it helps control global warming. It does this by absorbing a lot of carbon dioxide, a gas that causes warming.
Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) first reported the increase in fires in June and July 2019. They used satellites to watch the fires. By August 2019, the situation gained international attention. Smoke from the fires was so thick that it made the sky dark in São Paulo, a city thousands of kilometers away. This smoke was even visible from space.
By August 29, 2019, INPE reported over 80,000 fires across Brazil. This was a 77% increase from the year before. More than 40,000 of these fires were in the "Legal Amazon" area of Brazil, which holds 60% of the entire Amazon rainforest. Other countries like Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru also saw more fires. Over 906,000 hectares (about 2.2 million acres) of forest were lost to fires in 2019.
Besides affecting the global climate, the fires released a lot of harmful gases like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. They also threatened the amazing variety of life (biodiversity) in the Amazon. Many indigenous people (native tribes) live in the forest, and their homes and way of life were also in danger. Experts estimated that the damage from these fires could cost Brazil billions of dollars over 30 years.
Many international leaders and environmental groups blamed Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro. They said his policies made it easier for people to cut down trees and start fires. At first, Bolsonaro didn't seem too worried. He said the criticism was overblown. But after more pressure, especially from the 45th G7 summit and a threat to a trade deal, he sent over 44,000 Brazilian soldiers to help fight the fires. He also signed a rule to stop such fires for 60 days.
Other Amazon countries were also affected. Bolivia, which is much smaller than Brazil, lost a similar amount of forest. Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, also faced criticism but took steps to fight the fires and ask for help. At the G7 summit, leaders agreed to give $22 million in emergency aid to the Amazonian countries.
Contents
- Understanding the Amazon Forest and Deforestation
- Different Kinds of Fires in the Amazon
- The Amazon Rainforest and Why It's Important
- Types of Fires in the Amazon
- Fires in Brazil: A Closer Look
- International Responses to the Crisis
- Fires in Other Amazon Countries
- Environmental Impacts of the Fires
- 2019 Wildfires in the Media and Celebrity Responses
- See also
Understanding the Amazon Forest and Deforestation
The Amazon rainforest is huge, covering about 670 million hectares (1.6 billion acres). For many years, people have worried about deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. This is because the Amazon plays a very important role in the world's climate.
Why the Amazon is Important for the Planet
The Amazon is like the world's biggest "carbon sink." This means it absorbs a lot of carbon dioxide from the air. It's estimated to take in up to 25% of the world's carbon dioxide. This gas is then stored in plants and other living things. Without the Amazon, there would be more carbon dioxide in the air. This would make global temperatures rise even faster.
When the forest burns, it releases all that stored carbon dioxide back into the air. This makes global warming worse. The trees also release a lot of water vapor, which creates "flying rivers" that bring rain to other parts of South America. Scientists worry that the Amazon could reach a "tipping point." This means it could die out forever and turn into a dry grassland if climate change and human activities continue.
How Deforestation Happens in the Amazon
People cut down the Amazon forest to create land for farming, raising cattle, and mining. They also cut trees for wood. The most common way to clear land is using slash-and-burn. First, during the wet season (November to June), trees are knocked down with bulldozers. Then, during the dry season (July to October), the tree trunks are burned. Fires are most common in July and August.
Sometimes, people who do the burning are not careful. They might accidentally let the fires spread out of control. Even though most Amazon countries have laws against deforestation, these laws are often not enforced. This means a lot of slash-and-burn activity happens illegally.
Why Most Amazon Fires are Caused by Humans
Many fires are seen across the Amazon during the dry season. These are usually tracked by satellites. While natural wildfires can happen in the Amazon, they are very rare. Even with global warming, warm weather alone doesn't start fires in the Amazon. However, warm weather can make fires worse once they start. This is because it dries out plants, making them easier to burn.
An expert from INPE, Alberto Setzer, believes that 99% of Amazon wildfires are caused by humans. This happens either on purpose or by accident. Fires started by humans also tend to send smoke higher into the atmosphere. This is because they burn drier plants more intensely. Also, evidence shows that fires are often found near roads and existing farms, not in remote parts of the forest. This suggests human activity.
On November 18, 2019, Brazil announced that deforestation was the "worst in more than a decade." About 970,000 hectares (2.4 million acres) of forest were lost. In July 2020, satellite data showed that fires in the Amazon increased by 28% compared to July 2019. This means the destruction of the Amazon, which helps fight global warming, continued to be a big problem.
Different Kinds of Fires in the Amazon
Amazon fires can be grouped into three main types.
| 2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires | |
|---|---|
|
Locations of fires, marked in orange, which were detected by MODIS from August 15 to 22, 2019
|
|
| Location | Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | >40,000 |
| Cost | >$900 billion (2019 USD) |
| Date(s) | January–October 2019 |
| Burned area | 906,000 hectares (2,240,000 acres; 9,060 km2; 3,500 sq mi) |
| Cause | Slash-and-burn approach to deforest land for agriculture and effects of climate change and global warming due to unusually longer dry season and above average temperatures worldwide throughout 2019 |
| Land use | Agricultural development |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Map | |
Amazon rainforest ecoregions as delineated by the WWF in white and the Amazon drainage basin in blue. |
|
The 2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires were a series of many fires that happened in the Amazon rainforest and nearby areas in countries like Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. These fires mostly occurred during the Amazon's usual dry season in 2019. People often start fires using a method called slash-and-burn to clear land. They do this to create space for farming, raising animals, cutting down trees for wood, or mining. This leads to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, which means cutting down and clearing forests. Even though these activities are often against the law, the rules are not always strictly followed. The large number of fires in 2019 worried people around the world. The Amazon rainforest is very important because it helps absorb a lot of carbon dioxide from the air. This helps to slow down global warming.
Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) first reported the rising number of fires in June and July 2019. They used satellites to watch the forest. By August 2019, the world started paying close attention. NASA confirmed INPE's reports. Smoke from the fires was so thick that it darkened the sky over the city of São Paulo, even though it was thousands of kilometers away. By August 29, 2019, INPE counted over 80,000 fires across Brazil. This was a 77% increase from the year before. More than 40,000 of these fires were in the part of the Amazon within Brazil. Other countries like Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru also saw more fires. Experts believe that over 906,000 hectares (about 2.2 million acres) of forest were lost in 2019. These fires released a lot of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the air. This caused worries about the Amazon's amazing biodiversity (all the different plants and animals). The fires also threatened the native tribes who call the forest home.
Many international leaders and environmental groups were very concerned about the fires in Brazil. They believed that new government policies had made it easier for people to clear land. At first, Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, did not agree with the criticism. He said the reports were exaggerated. However, after strong pressure from other countries, especially at the 45th G7 summit, President Bolsonaro took action. He sent over 44,000 Brazilian soldiers to help fight the fires. He also provided money for these efforts. Later, he signed a rule to stop people from starting fires for 60 days.
Other countries in the Amazon region were also affected by the fires. For example, Bolivia lost a similar amount of forest to fires as Brazil, even though Bolivia is much smaller. Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, also took steps to fight the fires and asked for help from other nations. At the G7 summit, leaders agreed to provide $22 million in emergency aid to help the Amazonian countries deal with the fires.
The Amazon Rainforest and Why It's Important
The Amazon rainforest is huge, covering about 670 million hectares (1.6 billion acres). For many years, people have worried about deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, which is when humans clear parts of the forest. The Amazon plays a vital role in our planet's climate. It is the world's largest natural "carbon sink." This means it absorbs a lot of carbon dioxide from the air, up to 25% of what the world produces. Plants and other living things in the forest store this carbon. If the Amazon wasn't there to absorb carbon, there would be more carbon dioxide in the air. This would make global temperatures rise even faster. When the forest burns, it releases even more carbon dioxide, adding to the problem. The plants also release a lot of water vapor into the air. This vapor travels far and helps bring rain to other parts of South America. Scientists are concerned that due to global climate change and human actions, the Amazon could reach a "tipping point." This is a point where it might die out forever, turning into a dry grassland instead of a lush forest.
Why People Clear the Amazon Forest
People clear parts of the Amazon for several reasons. They need land for farming, raising animals like cattle, mining for valuable resources, and getting wood. The most common way to clear land is called slash-and-burn. First, during the wet season (November to June), large machines like bulldozers pull down trees. Then, in the dry season (July to October), the fallen trees are set on fire. Most fires happen in July and August. Sometimes, people who start these fires are not careful, and the fires spread by accident. Even though laws exist to protect the forest, they are not always followed. Many slash-and-burn activities are done without permission.
Human Activity Causes Most Fires
Satellites track the many fires that appear in the Amazon during the dry season. While natural wildfires can happen, they are very rare in the Amazon. They are much less common than in places like California or Australia. Even with global warming, warm weather alone doesn't start fires in the Amazon. However, dry, warm weather can make fires spread much faster once they begin. An expert from INPE, Alberto Setzer, estimated that 99% of Amazon wildfires are caused by people. These fires are either started on purpose or by accident. Fires started by humans often create more intense smoke that rises higher into the atmosphere. Also, many fires are found near roads and farms, not deep inside the untouched forest. This shows that human activity is the main cause.
Recent Deforestation Trends
In November 2019, Brazil reported that deforestation was at its highest in over ten years. About 970,000 hectares (2.4 million acres) of forest were lost between August 2018 and July 2019. In July 2020, satellite data showed that the number of fires in the Amazon increased by 28% compared to July 2019. This suggested that the destruction seen in 2019 was continuing, making it harder to protect the Amazon.
Types of Fires in the Amazon
Fires in the Amazon can be grouped into three main types.
- Clearing for Farms: These fires are used to prepare land for farming. First, trees are cut down, and the plants are left to dry. Then, they are burned.
- Farm Maintenance: Farmers also use fires to clear old fields or pastures. This helps them prepare the land for new crops or grazing animals.
- Escaped Fires: Sometimes, fires started for farming or clearing land get out of control. They can spread into healthy forests nearby.
When a forest burns for the first time, the fire is often not very strong. But if the same area burns again, the fires can become much more intense. These fires harm the Amazon's amazing variety of life. They also make it harder for trees to store carbon, which helps fight climate change. It's important to remember that the Amazon Basin has different weather patterns, so not all areas have the same dry season.
Fires in Brazil: A Closer Look
About 60% of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil, in an area called Brazil's Legal Amazon. Since the 1970s, Brazil has lost about 12% of its forest. This is an area larger than the state of Texas in the US. Most of this deforestation happened to get wood for industries and to clear land for farming and mining. Raising cattle has been the main reason for clearing forests in the Brazilian Amazon since the mid-1960s. The Amazon region has become the largest cattle ranching area in the world. About 80% of deforested land is used for cattle pastures.
Why Deforestation Increased in Brazil
The demand for beef and soy, especially from countries like China, has driven deforestation in Brazil. In the first seven months of 2019, soy exports to China increased by 18%. Brazil is also one of the biggest beef exporters globally. Ranchers often wait for the dry season to use slash-and-burn methods. This prepares the land for their cattle to graze. Soybean production also grew significantly. While controlled burning can be safe, inexperienced farmers sometimes cause wildfires. These fires have increased as farming expands into the Amazon. People illegally cutting into protected forests, including those belonging to indigenous tribes, also contribute to deforestation.
Monitoring Fires in Brazil
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Brazil's INPE has tracked fires in the Amazon for many years. From 2002 to 2007, the number of fires was often over 60,000, reaching 90,000 in 2003. Fire counts were usually higher during drought years, especially when El Niño events occurred. In the early 2000s, Brazil started taking more steps to protect the Amazon. In 2004, the government launched a plan to reduce deforestation. This plan involved better monitoring, promoting sustainable activities, and punishing those who broke environmental laws. Brazil also bought firefighting planes in 2012. By 2014, indigenous people were being taught how to fight fires. These efforts helped reduce deforestation rates by 83.5% by 2012. However, an economic crisis in 2014 led Brazil to focus more on exports like beef and soy. This caused deforestation rates to rise again. The government also reduced funding for scientific research.
INPE developed satellite systems to watch the Amazon. The PRODES system provided detailed annual data on deforestation and fires. In 2015, INPE launched the Terra Brasilis project, which included the DETER system. DETER used satellites to detect wildfires every 15 days, providing near real-time alerts. This daily data was shared online and later confirmed with more accurate annual data. By 2017, INPE had improved its systems, making fire-monitoring data more accessible. Agencies like IBAMA (Brazilian Federal Environment and Renewable Resources Agency) use this data to monitor and fight fires. INPE receives daily images from 10 foreign satellites, including NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. These systems count fires daily, but they use fortnightly images to estimate the actual area of forest lost.
Government Changes and Their Impact
Jair Bolsonaro became President of Brazil in January 2019. After he took office, his government changed policies that had protected the rainforest. These changes made it easier for farmers to continue clearing land using slash-and-burn methods. This led to faster deforestation. People illegally taking land used the new policies to expand their activities into areas belonging to indigenous people. President Bolsonaro also cut funding for Brazil's environmental enforcement agency, making it harder for them to regulate deforestation. He also moved parts of the environmental agency under the agricultural ministry, which is influenced by farming groups. This weakened protections for natural reserves and indigenous territories.
2019 Dry Season Fires in Brazil
INPE warned the Brazilian government about a larger-than-normal increase in fires from June to August 2019. The first four months of 2019 were wetter than usual, which normally discourages slash-and-burn. However, when the dry season began in May 2019, the number of wildfires increased greatly. Temperatures from January to July 2019 were also the second warmest on record. INPE reported an 88% increase in wildfires in June 2019 compared to the previous year. Deforestation continued to rise in July 2019, with over 1,345 square kilometers (519 square miles) of land cleared that month.
August 2019 saw a huge increase in wildfires. By August 11, the state of Amazonas declared a state of emergency. The state of Acre followed on August 16. In early August, farmers in the state of Pará even advertised a "Day of Fire" for August 10, organizing large-scale burning. They knew there was little chance of government interference. Soon after, the number of wildfires in that region increased. By August 20, INPE had detected 39,194 fires in the Amazon rainforest since January. This was a 77% increase from the same time in 2018. However, 2018 had an unusually low number of fires compared to earlier years like 2004-2005. INPE reported that over 74,155 fires were detected across all of Brazil by that time. NASA initially reported average numbers of fires but later confirmed that by August 26, 2019, the number of fires was higher than in previous years.
By August 29, 2019, Brazil had experienced 80,000 fires, a 77% increase from 2018. Across South America, INPE reported 84,957 fires in Brazil, 26,573 in Venezuela, 19,265 in Bolivia, 14,363 in Colombia, 14,969 in Argentina, 10,810 in Paraguay, 6,534 in Peru, 2,935 in Chile, 898 in Guyana, 407 in Uruguay, 328 in Ecuador, 162 in Suriname, and 11 in French Guiana.
Media Attention and Government Response
News of the wildfires became a major international story around August 20, 2019. On that day, smoke from fires in Rondônia and Amazonas made the sky dark at 2 p.m. over São Paulo, nearly 2,800 kilometers (1,700 miles) away. NASA and NOAA also published satellite images showing huge smoke plumes visible from space. These images, along with photos of the fires, grabbed international attention and became a trending topic online. Many world leaders, celebrities, and athletes shared their concerns. News outlets noted that the Amazon fires were particularly alarming compared to other wildfires happening globally.
In the months before August 2019, President Bolsonaro had dismissed concerns from international and environmental groups. He even joked about the INPE data, calling it inaccurate. After INPE reported an 88% increase in wildfires in July 2019, Bolsonaro claimed the numbers were false and fired the INPE director. He suggested that environmental groups were deliberately starting fires, but he did not provide proof. Environmental groups like WWF Brasil and Greenpeace denied these claims.
On August 22, Bolsonaro stated that Brazil lacked the resources to fight fires in an area as vast as the Amazon. Historically, Brazil has been protective of its Amazon territory, viewing it as crucial for its economy. Bolsonaro and his government continued to resist international oversight. He called French President Emmanuel Macron's comments "sensationalist" and accused him of interfering in Brazil's internal affairs.
Under increasing international pressure, Bolsonaro became more willing to act. By August 23, 2019, he promised a "zero tolerance" approach to environmental crimes. On August 24, he sent the Brazilian military to help fight the wildfires. This included 43,000 troops, four firefighting aircraft, and $15.7 million for operations. Efforts began in Rondônia, with plans to support all seven affected states. On August 28, Bolsonaro signed a rule banning fires in Brazil for 60 days, with some exceptions for environmental maintenance or indigenous practices. However, since most fires were set illegally, the rule's impact was uncertain.
The president of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia, announced a committee to monitor the problem. He also said the Chamber would discuss solutions. After a report linked a WhatsApp group to the "Day of Fire," President Bolsonaro ordered investigations by the Federal Police. In November 2019, Brazil banned clearing land by setting fire to it. Brazil also accepted aid from Chile and the United Kingdom and appealed for an international conference with all Amazonian countries.
Protests and Indigenous Peoples
Amnesty International highlighted how changes in land protection affected indigenous people. They urged other nations to pressure Brazil to restore these rights, which are important for protecting the rainforest. Ivaneide Bandeira Cardoso, who helps indigenous communities, said that President Bolsonaro's policies were directly responsible for the increase in fires. She called the wildfires a "tragedy that affects all of humanity."
Thousands of Brazilians protested in major cities starting August 24, 2019, against the government's response. Protests also took place at Brazilian embassies around the world. The fires threatened the approximately 306,000 indigenous people in Brazil who live in or near the rainforest. President Bolsonaro had spoken against respecting the land boundaries set for indigenous people. Representatives of these groups said that farmers, loggers, and miners, feeling supported by the government, forced indigenous people off their lands, sometimes violently. Some indigenous groups, who traditionally use fire for farming, were being treated as criminals. Many tribes vowed to fight back to protect their lands.
International Responses to the Crisis
International leaders and environmental groups strongly criticized President Bolsonaro for the scale of the wildfires in the Brazilian Amazon. Many governments and groups worried about Bolsonaro's stance and the lack of action to slow the fires. French President Emmanuel Macron was particularly vocal, calling the Amazon wildfires an "international crisis." He stated, "Our house is burning. Literally."
The fires also affected trade discussions. The European Union–Mercosur free trade agreement was being negotiated between the EU and South American countries, including Brazil. With the fires ongoing, leaders like Macron and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said they would not approve the trade deal unless Brazil committed to protecting the environment. Finland's finance minister even suggested banning Brazilian beef imports.
The Rainforest Foundation Norway stated that the deforestation and fire numbers in 2019 were not normal. They warned that the Amazon was nearing a "tipping point," where large parts of the forest could be so damaged that it might collapse.
In September 2019, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing called "Preserving the Amazon: A Shared Moral Imperative." An economist, Monica de Bolle, described the rainforest as a "carbon bomb." She explained that fires for deforestation could release up to 200 million tons of carbon into the air each year. This would speed up climate change and change rainfall patterns.
G7 Summit and Emergency Aid
The wildfires became a major topic at the 45th G7 summit in Biarritz, France, from August 24–26. President Macron led discussions about the fires and Brazil's response. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also supported making it a G7 issue, calling the fires "shocking and threatening" for the whole world. Macron even suggested that international rules might be needed to protect the rainforest if a country's actions harmed the planet. President Bolsonaro was concerned that Brazil, not being part of the G7, would not be represented. US President Donald Trump offered to represent Brazil's position.
During the summit, Macron and Chilean President Sebastián Piñera helped arrange $22 million in emergency funding for Amazonian countries to fight the fires. The Trump administration did not approve this measure because it had specific rules for how the money could be used. After the negotiations, Bolsonaro initially refused the funds for Brazil. He claimed Macron's interests were about protecting France's farming business. Bolsonaro also compared the Amazon fires to the Notre-Dame de Paris fire, suggesting Macron should focus on his own country's issues. However, governors of the affected Brazilian states pressured Bolsonaro to accept the aid. Bolsonaro later clarified that he would accept foreign aid, but only if Brazil decided how it was used.
Amazon Country Summit
On August 28, 2019, Brazil's Bolsonaro announced that countries sharing the Amazon rainforest (excluding Venezuela) would hold a summit in Colombia on September 6, 2019. Representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, and Suriname attended. They signed an agreement to work together to monitor the Amazon, respond to disasters, and share information. The pact also aimed to reduce illegal deforestation in their countries.
Fires in Other Amazon Countries
Bolivia's Wildfires
Bolivia has about 7.7% of the Amazon rainforest. A traditional farming practice called chaqueo, which involves controlled burning, was authorized in 2001. By September 14, 2019, Bolivia, which is much smaller than Brazil, had lost nearly 6 million acres (2.4 million hectares) of forest and savanna. This was roughly the same area of rainforest lost in Brazil.
By August 16, Bolivia's Santa Cruz Department declared an emergency due to forest fires. From August 18 to 23, about 800,000 hectares (2 million acres) of the Chiquitano dry forests were destroyed. This was more than what was typically lost over two years. By August 24, fires had affected over 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) in Santa Cruz. By August 26, wildfires had spread across over 728,000 hectares (1.8 million acres) of Bolivia's savanna and tropical forests.
The Bolivian government stepped in when the fires became too large for local teams. In August, President Morales sent soldiers and helicopters to fight fires. On August 22, he hired the Boeing 747 Supertanker, the world's largest firefighting aircraft, to drop water over the Bolivian Amazon. Many countries, including Spain, Chile, and France, offered aid. Experts believed that 87% of the fires were in unauthorized areas. Some groups claimed that deforestation rates in Bolivia increased after the government allowed more land for small farmers in 2015. By September 9, 2019, about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of forests in Bolivia had been affected by fires.
Paraguay's Pantanal Fires
By August 22, 2019, Paraguay declared fire emergencies in its Alto Paraguay district and the UNESCO-protected Pantanal region. President Mario Abdo Benítez worked with Bolivia's President Morales to coordinate efforts. By August 17, fires from Bolivia began to spread into northern Paraguay's Three Giants natural reserve. By August 24, Paraguay had lost 39,000 hectares (96,000 acres) in the Pantanal.
Most of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, is in Brazil, but it also extends into Bolivia and Paraguay. This area is a "complex, fragile, and high-risk ecosystem" that is changing from a wetland to a farming area. The Paraná River, the second-largest river system in South America, flows through this region. Experts noted that the Pantanal is a very important ecological place, often overshadowed by the Amazon in media attention.
Peru's Wildfires
Peru saw nearly twice the growth in fires in 2019 compared to Brazil. Most of these fires were believed to be illegally started by ranchers, miners, and coca growers. Many fires were in the Department of Madre de Dios, which borders Brazil and Bolivia. While these fires were not directly caused by those in other countries, officials worried about the impact of smoke, especially carbon monoxide, on local residents. In August 2019, Peru reported 128 forest fires.
Environmental Impacts of the Fires
Emissions and Air Quality
By August 22, 2019, NASA and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service published maps showing increased levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from the fires. Areas downwind of the fires were covered in smoke, which could last for months. Hospitals in cities like Porto Velho reported three times the usual number of patients affected by smoke in August 2019. Smoke makes breathing difficult, worsens conditions like asthma and bronchitis, and can pose a cancer risk, especially for young children and the elderly.
Impact on Biodiversity
The Amazon rainforest is not naturally adapted to deal with large fires. Unlike some forests that have evolved with fire, the Amazon's lowland, wetland forests are very vulnerable. Other Amazon ecosystems, like the Cerrado region, have fire-resistant plants. The fires had a huge impact on wildlife. Many animals, especially small ones like sloths, lizards, anteaters, and frogs, could not escape and likely perished in large numbers. Rare species, like Milton's titi and Mura's saddleback tamarin, were also at risk. Aquatic animals were affected as fires changed water chemistry, reducing oxygen levels.
In the long term, the destruction of the Amazon's dense tree canopy exposed the lower parts of the ecosystem. This changed how energy flows through the food chain. Fires also affected water temperature, chemistry, and erosion, which harmed fish and mammals that rely on them, such as the giant otter. The jaguar, already considered "near threatened," faced an even greater risk due to habitat and food loss.
2019 Wildfires in the Media and Celebrity Responses
Media coverage of the 2019 Amazon wildfires largely focused on Brazil, often overshadowing fires in Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay. The Amazon fires also happened shortly after major wildfires in Greenland and Siberia, which had also received media attention. Some photos shared online were misleading, showing fires from past events or other locations. News agencies published guides to help people check the facts on these images.
Many celebrities used their platforms to raise awareness about the wildfires. American actor Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental organization, Earth Alliance, donated $5 million to local groups and indigenous communities to help protect the Amazon. Other celebrities like Cara Delevingne, Vanessa Hudgens, Lana Condor, and Japanese musician Yoshiki also spoke out. In August 2019, Bernard Arnault, Europe's richest man, announced that his LVMH group would donate $11 million to help fight the fires. Some celebrities, like American restaurateur Eddie Huang and Khloé Kardashian, urged people to adopt a plant-based diet to reduce demand for beef, as cattle ranching is a major cause of deforestation. The 2021 song "Amazonia" by the French metal band Gojira and its music video were created in response to the fires.
See also
In Spanish: Incendios de la selva amazónica de 2019 para niños
