Fire in Paraguay

Throughout August vast areas of Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay have been destroyed by wildfires. Blazes in Paraguay have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of forest and destroyed part of El Pantanal, the world's largest wetland system.

The Paraguayan Department for National Emergencies (SEN), reported fires began in parts of the Paraguayan Pantanal on 16 August. The fires initially spread into the remote town of Bahia Negra, which sits on the triple border between Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.

Paraguayan authorities are focusing efforts on the worst affected areas, Chovoreca in the northwest and Vizcaina in the east. 200 volunteer and professional firefighters are combatting the flames with the use of two hydroplanes.

The fires are linked to agricultural activities which include the use of fire to permanently deforest areas and convert them to agricultural land.