Yes, more fires are burning in sub-Saharan Africa than in Brazil. But context is important

By AJ Willingham, CNN

(CNN)While the world worries about the wildfires currently raging in the Amazon, some people have noticed that even more fires seem to be burning in sub-Saharan Africa. However, comparing the two sets of fires could be like comparing apples to oranges.

If you look at the data from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management Map (FIRMS), which show a large swatch of fire across Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The alarming area of these fires has left some people wondering why so much attention is being paid to the Amazon, while on the surface it appears Africa is alight with even more blazes. Even French President Emmanuel Macron, who has led the charge for international relief and solutions for the Amazon wildfire and has pledged aid from France, said on Twitter that he would consider starting a similar initiative for sub-Saharan Africa.

However, there are several things to consider when comparing the two situations. Read More...