The Amazon Rainforest, richest forest in the world in terms of biodiversity, is the biggest tropical rainforest in South America, covering an area of more than 2 million square miles. It occupies the drainage basin of the Amazon River and its various tributaries. Fourth percent of Brazil’s land area is covered by this dense rain forest, which is bounded by the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Brazilian central plateau towards the south, the Andes Mountains to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It contains millions of species of fauna and flora also contains different species which are yet to be identified by modern science.

This forest provides 20% of our oxygen. Nearly 73 thousand fires were recorded in the amazon during January and August of 2019. That is nearly 83% more than last year. In the latest huge fire in amazon smoke reached all the way to Sao Paulo, more than 1700 miles away from Amazon forest. Brazil was gone dark in middle of day leading 12 million people under darkness. This reflects condition during the fire.

People who want to clear land in the Amazon rainforest for business prospects are cutting down portions of the forest, leaving them out to dry and setting them on unstoppable fire. With the trees out of the way, they have room to grow crops and raise cattle. Illegal burning of rainforest for cattle grazing was found to be main cause of fire in amazon rainforest which was gone out of control. Illegal land-grabbers are  responsible for this. The national Institute for Space research, the one which monitors’ deforestation in brazil, said that 1113 fires were recorded across Saturday and Sunday. Scale of fire was so huge that they could be seen from space, NASA said. The root of fire was man made.

Human have destroyed 15% of the amazon. Science says that if we lose again its 10% then ecosystem may collapse. This signifies the importance of Amazon rain forest. Not only its home for million species of plants, animals and indigenous group of people, many anti-cancer pharmaceutical drugs come from rainforest plants. Its source of oxygen for all people across the world. It is considered as the lungs of earth. The forest absorbs CO2 from sources like pollution. Losing a significant part of the forest would hurry up climate change because more CO2 would be in the atmosphere.

Number of animals and plants were in fire. Global warming is the main issue of concern after the fire in amazon rain forest. Weather pattern differs leading less moisture released into the atmosphere, which means less rainfall. Many anti-cancer pharmaceutical drugs come from rainforest plants. Compounds from rainforest plants are used to treat high blood pressure, glaucoma, tuberculosis, and other health problems. Quinine was the first effective medicine to treat malaria and came from cinchona trees and the fire has lead to loss of several cinchona tree. It is estimated that 25 % of the pharmaceutical drugs sold in the U.S. are derived from 40 Amazon plants. These are all at the risk. As a whole THE EARTH IS AT RISK.

Plantation and running different awareness program is what we can do as a youth. Three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle - help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resource and nature. We can donate to charitable authorities such as The Rainforest Action Network, Rainforest Trust, Amazon Watch or the Rainforest Alliance for conservation. Concerned authorities should look close about the deforestation going on Amazon and manmade forest fire for crop raising and animal rearing.