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(CNN) - Not only is the Brazilian Amazon: fires in Bolivia have devastated more than 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of land, according to Bolivian officials. That's more than double the damage compared to just two weeks ago.
The fires are leaving blackened trees and forest soils covered with ashes. The website of the Bolivian region of Santa Cruz described the discovery of charred animals in their devastated lands and others desperately looking for food and water.
Most of the fires occur in natural protected areas and in forests, environment secretary Cinthia Asin said on Wednesday, calling on the federal government to declare a national disaster.
Firefighters try to control a fire near Charagua, Bolivia, on August 29.
"We insist on a national disaster declaration, because we are losing a large part of our biodiversity that is also a water supplier," he said.
Thousands of firefighters, rangers, state employees and volunteers are on the front lines fighting fires, but new fires are still spreading, he said.
The fires have claimed two lives so far, according to Bolivian President Evo Morales. Earlier this week he mentioned on Twitter the names of Jorge Hinojoza Vega and police officer Lucio Mamani, who said they had died while putting out fires in the city of Sacaba and the town of Coroico, respectively.
Other state and departmental officials, such as the Secretary of Energy, Mines and Hydrocarbons and the Secretary General of Santa Cruz are also pressing the Bolivian government to issue a declaration of national disaster.
A fireman works during a fire in the Bolivian region of Santa Cruz, on August 22.
But Bolivian communication minister Manuel Canelas said that the state in Bolivia "is not overwhelmed" in terms of economic or technical resources that require a disaster declaration.
In late August, the Bolivian government hired one of the world's largest airplanes, a Supertanker Boeing 747, and a fleet of smaller airplanes to put out the fires. There has also been international assistance: neighboring Argentina deployed firefighters to help, Peru sent helicopters and the United States sent tools and equipment for 2,000 firefighters to Bolivia on Thursday, according to the Santa Cruz government.
During the G7 summit in August, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, announced an emergency fund of 20 million dollars to help Amazonian countries affected by forest fires.
The Amazon covers eight countries, including Bolivia. Most of the forest is in Brazil, where a huge increase in fires has caused international consternation.
Fire in Bolivia