A satellite photo shows fires in Sao Felix do Xingu, in Pará province, on August 4, 2020
Fires are raging in the Amazon, despite a Brazil government ban. The destruction could be worse than last summer
(CNN)The Brazilian government banned fires in the Amazon in mid-July — yet there were far more fires last month than the year before, further degrading one of the world’s most precious natural resources.
Last year’s destructive fires caused international alarm, and this summer could be even worse, according to experts.
The Amazon is considered vital in slowing global warming, and it is home to uncountable species of fauna and flora. Roughly half the size of the United States, it is the largest rainforest on the planet.
In July, the number of fires increased by 28% compared with the same month a year ago, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE), a federal institute that monitors fires and deforestation….