Fires are burning in Amazon rainforest at alarming rate. French President Emmanuel Macron has said record number of fires is now "international crisis". There has been 85 per cent increase in fires in Amazon this year. Mr Macron said urgent action needed to be taken. He said fires needed to be on top of the agenda at G7 summit of world leaders in Biarritz. Macron tweeted about how serious he thought fires were. He wrote: "Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produce 20% of our planet's oxygen - is on fire. It is international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let's discuss this emergency in two days."
Other leaders agreed that they should discuss fires. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the fires "acute emergency". She said they were "shocking". She added that fires didn't only threaten Brazil and its neighboring countries, but also affected whole world. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called fires "not only heartbreaking," but " international crisis". He added: "We stand ready to provide whatever help we can to bring them under control and help protect one of Earth's greatest wonders." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "In midst of global climate crisis, we cannot afford more damage to major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected."
