Almost 73,000 fires have been recorded in the Amazon rainforest this year — nearly double 2018's total of about 40,000 fires. It's a record high.

The fires come from humans — it's the time of the year when farmers use fire to clear land — but hot, dry conditions mean fires are spreading, and President Jair Bolsonaro is actively not trying to help.

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The Amazon rainforest is on fire.

This year, between January and August, almost 73,000 fires have been recorded, which is nearly double 2018's total of nearly 40,000 fires. It's a record high. Since Thursday, almost 10,000 new fires have started.

One of the reasons for the massive increase in fires is human activity, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro does not care. Dismissing concerns about the amount of fires in the Amazon, he said, "I used to be called Captain Chainsaw. Now I am Nero, setting the Amazon aflame."

He said it was just the time of the year when farmers use fire to clear land. Since taking power, Bolsonaro has also hampered what government agencies can do to protect the rainforest.

Read more: Fires in the Amazon could be part of a doomsday scenario that sees the rainforest spewing carbon into the atmosphere and speeding up climate change even more

The fires have created a layer of smoke estimated to be 1.2 million square miles wide, and the loss of forest is devastating for mitigating global warming. The rainforest is meant to absorb carbon, not produce it.

And while it might seem overwhelming and devastating, and far removed from everyday life, there are things that can be done. Here are some ways you (and Logan Paul) can make a difference.