2019 INPE report shows Amazon forest fire increased by 30% this year

The world is battling the rise in global warming as different parts across the globe are engulfed by forest fires. According to data released by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) on Wednesday, Amazon Forest fires have increased by 30 percent in 2019. According to the data, the number of forest fires detected in the Amazon region was 89,178 in 2019, while in 2018, the INPE recorded 68,345 forest fires in the region. 

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Bad news for environmentalists

The Amazon rainforest, which is correctly dubbed as the lungs of the planet, is burning at a rapid speed which has become a major concern for environmentalists across the world. The data was first released by INPE in July 2019 but it grabbed the world's attention after the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA) confirmed its findings through satellite imagery. The Amazon lost 906 hectares of land to forest fires in 2019 alone that led to an increase in the level of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. 

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The dramatic rise in forest fires in the Amazon region came after Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019 as the 38th President of Brazil, the country that accounts for 60 percent of the rainforest. Jair Bolsonaro is a right-wing pro-business leader who has been blamed by researchers and environmentalists for allowing construction in the rainforest region. Bolsonaro notoriously fired Ricardo Magnus, the then director of INPE for announcing an 88% increase of wildfires in July 2019. Bolsonaro alleged that Ricardo was using the data to lead an anti-Brazil campaign, although he provided no evidence to back up the accusation. 

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Bolsonaro has faced a lot of flak from the international community for not taking measures to control deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are some of the world leaders who criticised Brazilian President for his inaction. 

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