While the wildfires in the Amazon rainforest have made international headlines, it’s just one of many areas battling raging infernos around the world.
Wildfires are burning in several other countries, including Spain, Greece and Alaska.
This summer has been an unprecedented fire season across the circumpolar North, according to the World Meteorological Organization. There have been more than 100 major fires burning north of the Arctic Circle and in boreal forests in places such as Siberia.
WATCH: More coverage on the Amazon wildfires
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Record-breaking wildfires scorch Brazil’s Amazon rainforests -
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NASA releases satellite images of smoke from wildfires in Amazon Rainforest -
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Bolivia ramps up efforts to control wildfires -
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Dramatic video captures wildfire burning in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest -
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Sao Paulo plunged into darkness as Amazon wildfire burns
Here’s a look at where some major fires have been burning around the world this summer.
Amazon: Thousands of wildfires are also decimating the Brazilian Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest. The blazes have nearly doubled this year compared with the same period in 2018, prompting global outrage.
Russia: In Siberia, there have been reports that some of the vast wildfires were started on purpose by arsonists trying to conceal illegal logging activity. According to Vox, more than 21,000 square miles of forest have been affected by the wildfires in Siberia.
Spain: Spain’s largest wildfire this year, across the Canary Islands, led to roughly 9,000 people fleeing. More than 46,000 square miles have been charred on the western slopes of Gran Canaria, a popular tourist island off northwestern Africa. No injuries were reported and authorities said some residents can start going back home.
Greece: A state of emergency was declared in regions of the densely forested Greek island of Evia east of Athens after the blaze broke out on Tuesday. The fire was fanned by strong winds and high temperatures. Greece often faces wildfires during its dry summer months.
Bolivia: On Thursday, firefighters in Bolivia were trying to put out wildfires that have already burned more than 1.6 million acres of tropical forest. Military footage showed vast swaths of tropical forest burning near Bolivia’s border with Paraguay and Brazil.
United States: In Alaska, a Division of Forestry spokesman said this week that it’s unknown how three recent high-profile fires started. But he noted there were no indications they were caused by lightning, leading officials to blame human activity.
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After record-breaking wildfires in California last year, firefighters battled blazes in northern California again this week, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Greenland: Earlier this month, Denmark sent firefighters to Greenland to fight wildfires that started in July. Scientists, according to Bloomberg, have warned that Greenland’s already rapid ice melt could worsen if the fires are not extinguished.
— With files from The Associated Press, Reuters
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