Fires surge in Amazon rainforest
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The number of fires in Brazil’s Amazon region increased 28 percent in July from a year ago, according to official figures, threatening a repeat of 2019’s surging destruction of the world’s largest rainforest
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Jul 2020 
Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) recorded 6,803 fires in Amazon rainforest, compared to 5,318 in same month of 2019

ACCUMULATED AMAZON DEFORESTATION 
Aug 1 to Apr 30

2007-08 5,544 sq km
2008-09 2,836
2009-10 1,457 
2010-11 1,874 
2011-12 1,631 
2012-13 1,873 
2013-14 1,501 
2014-15 2,766
2015-16 3,019
2016-17 2,773
2017-18 2,983
2018-19 2,816
2019-20 5,606
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Fires detected
(data retrieved Aug 4, 2020)

Manaus
PERU
BOLIVIA
Brasília
BRAZIL PARAGUAY
ARGENTINA

1,000km 625 miles
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Environmentalists fear Brazil could repeat last year’s peak of 30,900 fires in August – 12-year high for that month
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2019: Deforestation hit 11-year high, with further 25 percent increase in first half of 2020
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Sources: Associated Press, INPE, Mongabay, Reuters
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