Amazon wildfires: Peru declares a state of emergency

A state of emergency has been declared in Peru.

The wildfires throughout the Amazon rainforest continue to grow and are now so widespread that the smoke can be seen from space.

NASA satellite imagery has captured the smoke rising from the wildfires in the Amazon. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory.

There have already been 53,620 fires reported across the Amazon this year, an 80% increase in the same period in 2023, with 28,697 fires reported in August alone.

The fires have been largely driven by drought and deforestation and we have already seen 13.4 million acres – an area larger than entire countries like Costa Rica or Denmark destroyed. With this, each fire means even more carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to warming temperatures and making the cycle of climate change worse.

These are already being called ‘the fires that could reshape the Amazon’.

There doesn’t look to be an end in sight, with the wildfires season expected to peak in October, experts are predicting that this intense season could run into January, possibly even February. Peru is now relying on the rainy season to help put out the fires, but here in Peru we’ve seen weather patterns become more unpredictable and we don’t know when the rains will come.

The fires are devastating and dangerous. But it won’t stop our efforts to keep rainforests standing – it is vital for us all that they do.

We’re working around the clock with rainforest communities across Peru to monitor fires and act quickly to prevent any fires spreading further.

Now, more than ever, we need your support to protect rainforests.

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