The burning of the world's forests
| One of the most serious environmental problems existing today is the burning of the world's forests. Not only does this destroy forests much faster than they can be replaced, it also releases huge quantities of smoke and carbon dioxide into the air. Both of these may contribute to the global warming of the planet. And that much smoke can cause breathing problems for many people, even if they are hundreds of miles away. The image above shows all the fires detected in central Africa. Regions of high biomass burning also include Central and South America, Madagascar, and Indonesia. |
Credit: NOAA/Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
For more info: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/fires/globalfires.html