The Amazon River Basin is called the "lungs of the world" due to its vast number of trees that oxygenate our planet.

Every year, large areas of land from the Amazon Rain Forest are cleared to make room for businesses and lodging.

Until now, the Amazons has been significantly reduced and little has been done to prevent this.

If completely lost, the effects would be catastrophic. This region would become permanently barren and other regions would be affected as well.

Worst U.S. Forest Fires

1871
Oct. 8–14, Peshtigo, Wis: over 1,200 lives lost and 4 million acres burned in nation's worst forest fire.

1889
June 6, Seattle, Wash.: fire destroyed 64 acres of the city and killed 2 persons. Damage was estimated at $15 million.

1894
Sept. 1, Minn.: forest fires ravaged over 160,000 acres and destroyed six towns, killing 600, including 413 in town of Hinckley.

1910
Aug. 10, Idaho: fires burned 2 million acres of woods and killed over 70 people.

1918
Oct. 13–15, Minn. and Wis.: forest fire struck towns in both states; 1,000 died, including 400 in town of Cloquet, Minn. About $1 million in losses.

1947
Oct. 25–27, Maine: forest fire destroyed part of Bar Harbor and damaged Acadia National Park.

1956
Nov. 25, Calif.: fire destroyed 40,000 acres in Cleveland National Forest and caused 11 deaths.

1988
Aug.–Sept., western U.S.: fires destroyed over 1.2 million acres in Yellowstone National Park and damaged Alaska woodlands.

1991
Oct. 20–23, Oakland–Berkeley, Calif.: brush fire in drought-stricken area destroyed over 3,000 homes and apartments. At least 24 persons died; damage estimated at $1.5 billion.

2000
April–May, northern N.M.: fire started by National Park Service to clear brush from Bandelier National Monument raged out of control, destroying at least 250 homes and forcing evacuation of more than 20,000 people. Blaze consumed an estimated 47,000 acres and threatened Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Nov. 3, western United States: combination of hot, dry weather and plenty of dry vegetation led to one of the most destructive forest fire seasons in U.S. history.