A fire raged yesterday through a rain forest along Brazil’s eastern coastline, burning up to 25,000 acres of trees, firefighters said.
The fire in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest remained out of control late yesterday, said firefighters from the municipality of Mage, 50 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro. The forest has been threatened by a monthlong dry spell, the firefighters said.
Environmentalists say the Atlantic Forest, a diverse and fragile ecosystem, is home to hundreds of bird species, many of which are unique to the region.