SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Animals are going up in flames – record fires in the Amazon

Ants and sloths have nowhere to go when the Amazon is on fire. This year's fire season in South America is unprecedented, according to WWF. We can now see that it's very many of the larger animals that are actually burning up, says Olle Forshed, expert on rainforest and biological diversity.

» Published: October 30 2024

Animals are going up in flames – record fires in the Amazon
Photo: F Guiterrez/WWF

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) describes an acute situation with extensive forest fires in South America.

In the Brazilian part of the Amazon, around 105,000 fires have started this year (until the end of September). This is an increase of 84 percent compared to the same period last year. And if you count all natural fires in Brazil, outside of the Amazon as well, an area equivalent to half of Sweden has been ravaged by fire this year.

Rapid developments

There have been rapid developments and large areas, so there is nowhere to flee, says Olle Forshed.

Tree-dwelling species, such as ants and sloths, are among those that are severely affected.

Even if they may survive the flames, they then have nowhere to return to.

This year has been the driest ever in the region. Another strong contributing factor to the extent and frequency of the fires is deforestation. A rainforest should not be able to burn, notes Olle Forshed.

But when you thin them out and cut down parts of them, it becomes drier in these forests.

Dangerous tipping point

Deforestation has gone so far that the Amazon is approaching a dangerous tipping point. So far, the giant rainforest area as a whole functions as a carbon sink, absorbing much of the carbon dioxide emitted. If the tipping point is passed, the Amazon will instead become a source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Today, it is estimated that 17 percent of the Amazon has been deforested. The tipping point is believed to occur when the area is deforested to 20-25 percent.

If it happens, it will have an irreversible effect, then it will become a drier climate on this continent. The rainforest cannot exist and other types of ecosystems will form. It will become drier and savannah-like.

The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest area. In the Brazilian part of the Amazon, the number of fires from January to September this year has been 84 percent higher than last year.

Most of the fires have been caused by humans, including in connection with burning land to create new agricultural and grazing areas.

Deforestation and thinning of forests make them more prone to fire.

The recent months' forest fires in South America have been the worst in over 20 years, according to the EU's climate service Copernicus.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

The Government Ready to Borrow Billions for Reinforcement

The Government Ready to Borrow Billions for Reinforcement

More get caught in drug tests – one industry stands out

More get caught in drug tests – one industry stands out

Economists: Higher Tax a Must for Upgrading

Economists: Higher Tax a Must for Upgrading

Explosion south of Stockholm

Explosion south of Stockholm

Filter coffee healthier than automatic coffee

Filter coffee healthier than automatic coffee

Sentenced to Psychiatric Care - Suspected of New Assault

Sentenced to Psychiatric Care - Suspected of New Assault

Warnings of strong winds and snow in the mountains

Warnings of strong winds and snow in the mountains

Sida Pauses New Aid Projects

Sida Pauses New Aid Projects

No Crime Behind Body Find

No Crime Behind Body Find

Preliminary Investigation Against Landerholm Resumed

Preliminary Investigation Against Landerholm Resumed

Foreign Ministry confirms: Six Swedes out of Gaza

Foreign Ministry confirms: Six Swedes out of Gaza

Expensive and complicated with a reduced wolf population

Expensive and complicated with a reduced wolf population

Contact with gangs can be criminalized

Contact with gangs can be criminalized

Child accused of assault – social services investigated

Child accused of assault – social services investigated

The Defense after Trump's Play: USA an Important Partner

The Defense after Trump's Play: USA an Important Partner

The Wait for When the New C-Leader Will Be Elected

The Wait for When the New C-Leader Will Be Elected

Kristersson: The Government Has Not Covered Anything Up

Kristersson: The Government Has Not Covered Anything Up

Court of Appeal changes verdict - man sentenced for partner's death

Court of Appeal changes verdict - man sentenced for partner's death

The Moderate Party wants to increase compensation for conscripts

The Moderate Party wants to increase compensation for conscripts

Kristersson in new meeting on Ukraine support

Kristersson in new meeting on Ukraine support

Traces of concussion remain after a year

Traces of concussion remain after a year

Swine flu is raging - hitting young people hard

Swine flu is raging - hitting young people hard

Two Requested to be Detained for Economic Crimes

Two Requested to be Detained for Economic Crimes

Escaped from detention center with stolen vehicle

Escaped from detention center with stolen vehicle

Moderate Women: Women Should be Able to Choose Cesarean Sections

Moderate Women: Women Should be Able to Choose Cesarean Sections

Swedes drink less

Swedes drink less

Swedes do not trust AI or social media

Swedes do not trust AI or social media

Powerful Explosion in Gothenburg – Two Detained

Powerful Explosion in Gothenburg – Two Detained

One Seriously Injured in Crash with Truck

One Seriously Injured in Crash with Truck

Elderly man dies in solo accident

Elderly man dies in solo accident

Landerholm received help with misleading posts

Landerholm received help with misleading posts

Young woman lied about rape – prosecuted

Young woman lied about rape – prosecuted

Police Published Pictures from Inside a Protected Facility

Police Published Pictures from Inside a Protected Facility

Security Service: The Cleaner Received Money from Extremist

Security Service: The Cleaner Received Money from Extremist

The Constitutional Committee Tables Investigation into the Landerholm Affair

The Constitutional Committee Tables Investigation into the Landerholm Affair

Prison sentence after accident where three young people died

Prison sentence after accident where three young people died

Man found dead in fire in Trollhättan – murder investigation underway

Man found dead in fire in Trollhättan – murder investigation underway

Annika Strandhäll switches committee

Annika Strandhäll switches committee

Sweden buys new Archer artillery pieces for Ukraine

Sweden buys new Archer artillery pieces for Ukraine

Now schools will be completely mobile-free

Now schools will be completely mobile-free