Bolivia calls for cooperation with Brazil to tame raging wildfires

Bolivia has called for tri-nation cooperation with Brazil and Paraguay to control raging wildfires near the border areas of the three countries. Wildfires raging in eastern Bolivia have burned more than 450,000 hectares, officials in Santa Cruz province estimated. Bolivia's Minister of the Presidency called on Brazil and Paraguay to coordinate efforts to combat the blazes.

The call from Bolivia comes as thousands of wildfires are devastating the Brazilian Amazon, the world's largest rainforest. The blazes have nearly doubled this year compared to the same period in 2018, according to Brazilian officials, prompting global outrage. The Santa Cruz province, where the wildfires have burned, is a critical area for agriculture and cattle-rearing.