It's Hard To Tell How Much Of The Amazon Is Burning

The Amazon rainforest is experiencing a significant increase in fires compared to 2018, as reported by Brazil's Space Agency. Satellites are crucial for detecting these fires but have limitations in tracking their progression and measuring their size in real-time. The EU's Copernicus program highlights these challenges, noting that satellite data can take days to update. Despite this, experts use satellite imagery to track fire hotspots and assess impacts beyond the burned area, such as smoke spread, which now covers much of Brazil and extends across South America.

What percentage increase in the number of fires is reported compared to 2018?

What is the most practical way to get an overview of the fires in the Amazon rainforest?

Why is it difficult to measure the geographical size of a fire using satellites?

How do experts track the extent of the fires in the Amazon rainforest?

What impact does the smoke from the fires have on Brazil and South America?