South American Leaders Implored to Act on Record Wildfires

Amnesty International on Monday called for an "unprecedented response" from South American leaders as the continent faces wildfires that threaten the Amazon rainforest and other important ecosystems.

Citing two months of record-breaking wildfires, Amnesty issued an open letter to the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru calling for coordinated government action.

"The world is watching and cannot wait for the Amazon basin and other precious ecosystems in the continent to be saved from extinction," Ana Piquer, Amnesty's director for the Americas, said in a statement.

"South American leaders must, more than ever, take urgent action to prevent climate catastrophe that could have irreversible consequences for the entire planet and future generations," she added. "The time to act is now."

Official satellite data from Brazil showed earlier this month that the continent had seen more fire hotspots this year than any other on record. Fires in the Amazon have created a "toxic smoke cloud" in an area larger than the entire United States, according toLive Science.

Wildfire smoke leads to thousands of premature deaths in South America per year. The recent upsurge in fires has led to cries for action from public health advocates and climate justice activists in many countries.

Indigenous leaders from the region will hold a press conference to address the crisis on Wednesday, September 25, in New York, according to Amazon Watch.