Fires and smoke in central South America

Fires and smoke in central South America  heavy smoke obscures Bolivia and other South American countries. Fire is a common occurrence in this region and is often used to clear land for agriculture. Add nutrients to the soil, provide pasture for grazing, and to stimulate forest growth. According to the Woods Hole Research Center, despite tropical deforestation, over 80% of the Amazonian forest still remains.

Scientists from this organization have conducted controlled burns in order to study the impacts of fire on transitional areas in between the forest interior and the “Cerrado” or savannah-like grasslands. Researchers use images such as these to monitor fire impact and forest health.