World

2024 Amazon forest fire season burns area roughly size of Italy: Environmental firm

Dec 10, 2024

Berlin [Germany], December 10: Tens of thousands of fires swept through the Brazilian Amazon during the recently concluded forest fire season, with the environmental organization WWF reporting on Monday that the blazes destroyed an area about the size of Italy.
From the beginning of the year to the end of November, around 135,000 fires were registered, according to recent data released by the Institute for Space Research (Inpe), which is responsible for satellite monitoring.
This was about 44% more than in the same period last year. In the Amazon region 130,000 square kilometres were affected by the fires.
In addition, almost 80,000 fires were reported in the Cerrado savannah - around 64% more than in the previous year. The Pantanal wetlands saw 14,500 wildfires - an increase of almost 140%.
WWF said a total of 300,000 square kilometres were affected in the three regions. "In most cases, the fires are caused by arson. Year after year, valuable forest is torched, primarily to make way for soybean plantations and cattle pastures," said Konstantin Ochs, a Brazil consultant at WWF Germany.
"Without Brazil's forests, the goals of the Paris Agreement cannot be achieved. Halting deforestation is absolutely essential and irreplaceable for climate protection," he said. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune

More news

LawSimpl Scales from Beta to 11,000+ Users, Redefining Indian Legal-Tech Landscape

New Delhi [India], July 11: One year since its official launch, LawSimpl has emerged as one of India's fastest-growing AI-powered legal-tech platforms, redefining how firms, startups, enterprises, and in-house counsels can enhance their work efficiency. It has been designed specifically for the Indian Legal System to simplify the process of legal research, drafting, and reviewing contracts. Since its Beta launch in June 2024, it has 11,000+ users with a satisfaction rate of 97%. As it has entered its second year, let's have a look at how it is shaping the future of legal work.

Jul 11, 2025