While the Amazon Rainforest finally managed to attract the otherwise ignorant world’s attention, thanks to social media uproar caused by people around the world, Chiquitano forest in the neighbouring Bolivia is also burning. By Kumar Shree
On one hand, the Amazon Rainforest fire has the entire world concerned about the consequences of it, and on the other hand, the Chiquitano forest in Amazon’s neighbouring Bolivia is also on fire. The slash-and-burn farming practices popular in the region is attributed as the reason of this fire and it has destroyed around a million hectare of forest, something that the scientists claim, would take more than two hundred years to reverse.
The Chiquitano forest is one of the most biologically diverse dry forests in the world, and a varied range of endemic flora and fauna call it home. Around 500 of these species are now under extreme risk because of the fire. The fire has put the already water-stressed area, because of its prone nature to hard droughts, in an even complicated spot, where many people are facing life crisis because of the hindered accessibility to water.
Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organisation has highlighted that the forest fires will accelerate serious environmental consequences because of the increased greenhouse emissions not only for the concerned region, but the entire planet as well; the signs of which have already started showing, as the pollution levels in the region shot up to almost twice in the past week.
The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, initially spoke against seeking international help, but later borrowed a Boeing 747, known as the ‘supertanker’ from United States to combat the fire. The Chiquitano forest fire and the Amazon rainforest fire are alarming for if we do not pay attention and take measure when there’s still time at hand, it would prove catastrophic for the entire humankind.
Related: The Amazon Rainforest Is Screaming, Here’s Why You Should Listen
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