Amazon Rainforest Fire Research Paper

Words: 723
Pages: 3

Forest fires in the Amazon rainforest are commonplace, yet deadly disasters. A huge fire has been blazing in the region since September 2015, and has now spanned nearly 100 kilometers across. The fire is a combination of 906 smaller fires, which account for 59% (source: INPE) of all active fires in Brazil. This bout was caused mainly due to a drought in the area, and has almost completely destroyed the few remaining patches of the Amazon in the state of Maranhão. The territory of Arariboia received no respite either; according to Survivor International, 45% of the trees (so far) have been consumed by the fire, despite the untiring efforts of more than two hundred fire fighters.

The dangers however, are not for nature alone; thousands of people from the Guajajara ethnic group, and countless other uncontacted tribes are surrounded by the far, and are cut off from the outside world until the fire reduces, presuming they survive the outbreak. Numerous tribal residents of the woods have taken matters into their own hands; armed with little equipment, they are working more than ten hours a day at temperatures northwards of 40 degrees Celsius, to extinguish the fires. This is particularly evident in the Guaruhu
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The worst thing is the wind changes direction at all times, which generates new outbreaks.” Unsurprisingly, many of these residents realize that these fires are partly due to their own mistakes. Tribal chief of the Awá tribe acknowledges that the loggers play fire games and cut trees which in turn not only leads to mass deforestation but also encourages the growth of such fires because of the barren, dry conditions left behind. The situation for the Awá tribe is grace; the route from which they took their water supplies has been cut off. Their lives are in danger, but so far the government has done little to relieve