New evidence from the Amazon has concluded that fire causes a positive feedback cycle in which the more forests burn the more susceptible to future burning they become. The research shows that there is much more damage in logged areas. This raises the possibility of large wildfire episodes happening on such a frequent scale that the forest ecosystem will not endure. The scientists believe the whole Amazon itself is threatened, with the rainforest being replaced by fire-prone vegetation. This has global consequences for biodiversity and climate change.
Fires are already a significant source of climate change.
Emissions from tropical forests in a year of bad fires could be equivalent to one-third of the emissions from fossil fuel burning. While there has been some action to address the problem of forest fires, it is not enough. WWF and IUCN believe it is time to profoundly rethink our approach to forest management, with a much greater emphasis on community involvement in fire management and use of fire. There is also a fundamental need to address the underlying cause of forest fires.