A Million Hectares Burned in Bolivia

By Elijah Mt. Castle

Fire season has been devastating across the world. Bolivia has reported that 1.4 million hectares of land have been burned from forest fires this year. As of October 8th there are 57 active wildfires in the country. Bolivian officials have opened over 450 cases against individuals accused of starting various fires. 20 of these cases are criminal charges. This is the first time in Bolivian history that people have been sentenced for wildfire. The various wildfires have begun encroaching on National parks in the area that are difficult to access. Parts of Bolivia are experiencing a drought that is providing dry fuel for the fires and hampering suppression. Lax environmental policies have not helped the areas affected. Pictured are the VNF detections for the month of October 2020. The more pronounced the color the longer the fire has been burning.

November 24, 2020