Widespread fires in South America continue to burn

A handout photo made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of a satellite image showing smoke plumes across Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay, 09 September 2019 (issued 19 September 2019).

One particularly massive plume can be seen in picture billowing across the border between Bolivia and Paraguay.

The fires, which have been a literal and figurative hot topic in the media as of late, have generated major concern around the world, especially those burning the Amazon rainforest.

The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest, covering 2.1 million square miles and producing between six and 20 percent of the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.

A vital ecosystem, it provides habitat for countless species of flora and fauna while helping to keep the planet’s carbon dioxide levels in check.

Photo: EPA-EFE/NOAA HANDOUT