Amazon Rainforest Burning Up Significantly in Last Year

(26 September, 1997 — Washington) An analysis of satellite data by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) indicates that burning of rainforest land in the Brazilian Amazon increased 28% between 1996 and 1997. The analysis of data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite images examined fires from August and September, the burning season, for each year.

A total of 19,115 fires are reported from the NOAA-12 satellite images in the sample in 1996, while 24,549 fires appear in the 1997 data over the period, an increase of 28%. The average number of fires per day increased from 466 to 599. The actual increase for the year may be even greater, since 1997 is drier than 1996 and burning continues.

“Increased burning strongly suggests that deforestation rates continue to rise,” said EDF senior scientist Stephan Schwartzman. “Along with new data from the region showing that what appears on the satellite pictures is only half the story, this is cause for serious concern. ”

Burning was concentrated principally in the Amazon states of Mato Grosso, and Par