Inferno in the Amazon: Brazil's Wildfire Crisis

Brazil's Amazon region faces unprecedented wildfire destruction, exacerbated by severe drought and possibly criminal actions. The fires have ravaged an area akin to Switzerland's size, raising concerns ahead of COP30 in Belem. Urgent reforestation measures and policy changes are needed to tackle this escalating crisis.

The Amazon region in Brazil is grappling with wildfires that have engulfed an area comparable to Switzerland, based on recent satellite data. The devastation poses a staggering challenge, with recovery anticipated to take decades, if not longer, scientists warn.

The Amazon Environmental Research Institute's science director, Ane Alencar, described the surge in wildfires as alarmingly abrupt. Between January and mid-October 2024, fires increased by 846% compared to the previous year, a figure significantly higher than the 2019 crisis under former President Jair Bolsonaro.

As Brazil gears up to host the COP30 climate conference in Belem, the government is considering enforcing reforestation for burned areas. Experts suspect that criminals are exploiting climate change conditions to further deforestation, with lawbreakers potentially bypassing extensive tree-felling for immediate fire-setting to clear land.

(With inputs from agencies.)