Last year, the world watched in horror as huge swathes of the Amazon rainforest were consumed by flames.

When the fires reached their peak in August 2019, there were over 30,000 individual fires burning across the Amazon – an increase of 196% compared to August 2018. In Brazil, which is home to over 60% of the rainforest , there was an 84% increase in the number of fires compared to the previous year .

All in all, millions of trees, plants and wildlife were destroyed in the devastating, record-breaking fires. But this year is set to be at least as bad as the last.

In June 2020 – which marks the start of the region’s dry season – fires in the Brazilian Amazon reached their highest levels in 13 years. According to the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE), there were 2,248 fires burning in the rainforest in June this year, compared to 1,880 fires in June 2019. Fires in the region usually increase throughout the dry season in July, August and September.

Amazon rainforest fires: as deforestation in the region worsens, meet the women fighting to save it