Brazil’s Amazon rainforests have witnessed a 28 per cent increase in the number of forest fires in July compared to the same period last year.

As per data from the country’s National Institute for Space Research, 6,803 fires were recorded in the month of July alone, compared to 5,318 last year.

"Lungs of the earth" under danger

Over 60 per cent of the Amazon basin falls under Brazil. Dubbed as the “lungs of the earth”, the rainforest is crucial in limiting the impact of climate change.

However, President Jair Bolsonaro’s term has witnessed a record increase in deforestation and mining in closed forested areas, which has put scores of indigenous populations at risk. This incursion has also led to COVID-19 spreading in communities that live deep in the forests.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/brazil-fires-official-who-divulged-details-of-record-deforestation-in-the-amazon-313178" hreflang="en">Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon</a>

This is particularly worrying because usually August is when the fire season begins in the area. If the trend follows, we may witnessed record figures even this month.

Last August, a large number of forest fires ravaged parts of the rainforest.

&nbsp;"More than 1,000 fires in a single day is a 15-year record and shows the government's strategy of media-spectacle operations is not working on the ground," spokesman for Greenpeace, Romulo Batista said in a statement.

Most of these fires are triggered deliberately to clear land of vegetation and trees, making the process of clearing easier. A lot of this land is then used illegally to farm, mine, and to ranch.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/brazil-gold-rush-illegal-mining-threatens-amazon-tropical-rainforests-309257/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Not enough counter measures?

Bolsonaro too, has been outspoken about opening up the forest to bring in more business and industries into the country. He has also often denied climate change, a common tendency among far-right leaders.

2020 has been anyway devastating for Brazil’s Amazon, with the first half witnessing the most deforestation in the region ever!

Over 3,000 square kilometres (more than 1,100 square miles) of land was cleared. This is bigger than the country of Luxembourg.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/brazil-deforested-10000-square-km-of-amazon-rainforest-in-2019-up-34-on-year-304867" hreflang="en">Brazil deforested 10,000 square km of Amazon rainforest in 2019, up 34% on year</a>

However, some positive signs have come forward recently, as scientists call for leaders to make climate change the focus of all policy, otherwise we may perish sooner than expected, and extreme weather could become the norm.

On July 16, the government issued a four-month-long ban against burning in wetland region of Pantanal and in Amazon as a whole. Additionally, the military has been sent in to ensure environment action in the region. Environmentalists do feel that a more scientific approach is required to tackle the issue. Military may effectively misplace or temporarily end illegal activity, but only through scientists can the balance be restored in the oxygen providing forests.

Just in July, NASA warned of a drought in the Amazon owing to increased temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean surface.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/inhabitants-of-the-amazon-basin-may-have-cultivated-plants-10000-years-ago-291762" hreflang="en">Inhabitants of the Amazon basin may have cultivated plants 10,000 years ago</a>

Brazil’s Amazon rainforests have witnessed a 28 per cent increase in the number of forest fires in July compared to the same period last year. As per data from the country’s National Institute for Space Research, 6,803 fires were recorded in the month of July alone, compared to 5,318 last year.

Brazil’s Amazon rainforests have witnessed a 28 per cent increase in the number of forest fires in July compared to the same period last year. As per data from the country’s National Institute for Space Research, 6,803 fires were recorded in the month of July alone, compared to 5,318 last year. "Lungs of the earth" under danger Over 60 per cent of the Amazon basin falls under Brazil. Dubbed as the “lungs of the earth”, the rainforest is crucial in limiting the impact of climate change. However, President Jair Bolsonaro’s term has witnessed a record increase in deforestation and mining in closed forested areas, which has put scores of indigenous populations at risk. This incursion has also led to COVID-19 spreading in communities that live deep in the forests. Also read: Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon This is particularly worrying because usually August is when the fire season begins in the area. If the trend follows, we may witnessed record figures even this month. Last August, a large number of forest fires ravaged parts of the rainforest. "More than 1,000 fires in a single day is a 15-year record and shows the government's strategy of media-spectacle operations is not working on the ground," spokesman for Greenpeace, Romulo Batista said in a statement. Most of these fires are triggered deliberately to clear land of vegetation and trees, making the process of clearing easier. A lot of this land is then used illegally to farm, mine, and to ranch. Not enough counter measures? Bolsonaro too, has been outspoken about opening up the forest to bring in more business and industries into the country. He has also often denied climate change, a common tendency among far-right leaders. 2020 has been anyway devastating for Brazil’s Amazon, with the first half witnessing the most deforestation in the region ever! Over 3,000 square kilometres (more than 1,100 square miles) of land was cleared. This is bigger than the country of Luxembourg. Also read: Brazil deforested 10,000 square km of Amazon rainforest in 2019, up 34% on year However, some positive signs have come forward recently, as scientists call for leaders to make climate change the focus of all policy, otherwise we may perish sooner than expected, and extreme weather could become the norm. On July 16, the government issued a four-month-long ban against burning in wetland region of Pantanal and in Amazon as a whole. Additionally, the military has been sent in to ensure environment action in the region. Environmentalists do feel that a more scientific approach is required to tackle the issue. Military may effectively misplace or temporarily end illegal activity, but only through scientists can the balance be restored in the oxygen providing forests. Just in July, NASA warned of a drought in the Amazon owing to increased temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean surface. Also read: Inhabitants of the Amazon basin may have cultivated plants 10,000 years ago

Environmentalists shudder as Amazon rainforest witnesses record number of fires in July

Amazon rainforest has been in the headlines lately owing to the record rate of deforestation in the region, which threatens local human and animal habitats, while increasing the risk of natural disasters.

Given the current scenario, it also makes tribal forest populations vulnerable to COVID-19. And these areas are hard to reach, with minimal healthcare in these regions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/amazon-tribe-releases-hostages-after-body-of-leader-returned-310912" hreflang="en">Amazon tribe releases hostages after body of leader returned</a>

In the backdrop of global outcry over Bolsonaro government’s stance and policies on the Amazon forest, the administration recently fired a national space agency official. The agency, Inpe is responsible for monitoring the rainforest via satellites, which has divulged data of mass deforestation and exploitation, even as global scientists call for preservation as an immediate call of the hour.

Increased deforestation

The data from June shows how deforestation hasn’t slowed down during the pandemic, but rather increased.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/study-fires-surge-in-brazils-amazon-forest-in-the-month-of-june-to-highest-rate-in-13-years-310606/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The official, Lubia Vinhas was the general-coordinator of Brazilian space agency Inpe’s Earth Observation Institute, which is one of the many sub-agencies responsible for tracking activity in the Amazon rainforest. They put out data to corroborate evidence of global warming induced by such actions.

Vinhas, who was supposed to hold her position for four years was fired by Marcos Pontes, Brazil’s science and technology minister just two years into her job. No explanation was offered for the same.

Bolsonaro complicit?

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has been a staunch critic of environmentalists, and has, on multiple occasions called for economic development in the region, which roughly implies increased deforestation. Additionally, this makes way for illegal mining and logging in the region. In fact, a recent report highlighted how illegal mining had caused the transmission of COVID-19 among tribal populations from the workers, causing major distress in the region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/brazil-deforested-10000-square-km-of-amazon-rainforest-in-2019-up-34-on-year-304867" hreflang="en">Brazil deforested 10,000 square km of Amazon rainforest in 2019, up 34% on year</a>

A firing was undertaken along similar lines last year, and activists believe this is due to the appalling data coming in from the country.

In August 2019, when the world sought answers from Bolsonaro over the wildfires in Amazon, Bolsonaro hit out at the former head of country’s space research institute, accusing him of doctoring data in order to paint his administration in a bad light. When Galvao countered the claims publicly, he was fired and replaced.

The figures released by Inpe on Friday showed over 1,034 square kilometres worth of deforestation in June alone. This is the highest area to be cleared in June ever since data collection had been initiated in 2015.

In the January-June period, the Amazon witnessed a 25 per cent spike in deforestation, when compared to the same time last year. Over 3,069 square kilometres of land has been cleared so far.

Amazon rainforest has been in the headlines lately owing to the record rate of deforestation in the region, which threatens local human and animal habitats, while increasing the risk of natural disasters.

Amazon rainforest has been in the headlines lately owing to the record rate of deforestation in the region, which threatens local human and animal habitats, while increasing the risk of natural disasters. Given the current scenario, it also makes tribal forest populations vulnerable to COVID-19. And these areas are hard to reach, with minimal healthcare in these regions. Also read: Amazon tribe releases hostages after body of leader returned In the backdrop of global outcry over Bolsonaro government’s stance and policies on the Amazon forest, the administration recently fired a national space agency official. The agency, Inpe is responsible for monitoring the rainforest via satellites, which has divulged data of mass deforestation and exploitation, even as global scientists call for preservation as an immediate call of the hour. Increased deforestation The data from June shows how deforestation hasn’t slowed down during the pandemic, but rather increased. The official, Lubia Vinhas was the general-coordinator of Brazilian space agency Inpe’s Earth Observation Institute, which is one of the many sub-agencies responsible for tracking activity in the Amazon rainforest. They put out data to corroborate evidence of global warming induced by such actions. Vinhas, who was supposed to hold her position for four years was fired by Marcos Pontes, Brazil’s science and technology minister just two years into her job. No explanation was offered for the same. Bolsonaro complicit? Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has been a staunch critic of environmentalists, and has, on multiple occasions called for economic development in the region, which roughly implies increased deforestation. Additionally, this makes way for illegal mining and logging in the region. In fact, a recent report highlighted how illegal mining had caused the transmission of COVID-19 among tribal populations from the workers, causing major distress in the region. Also read: Brazil deforested 10,000 square km of Amazon rainforest in 2019, up 34% on year A firing was undertaken along similar lines last year, and activists believe this is due to the appalling data coming in from the country. In August 2019, when the world sought answers from Bolsonaro over the wildfires in Amazon, Bolsonaro hit out at the former head of country’s space research institute, accusing him of doctoring data in order to paint his administration in a bad light. When Galvao countered the claims publicly, he was fired and replaced. The figures released by Inpe on Friday showed over 1,034 square kilometres worth of deforestation in June alone. This is the highest area to be cleared in June ever since data collection had been initiated in 2015. In the January-June period, the Amazon witnessed a 25 per cent spike in deforestation, when compared to the same time last year. Over 3,069 square kilometres of land has been cleared so far.

Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon

Brazil's military delivered protective material and medicines on Tuesday (June 30) by helicopter to isolated Amazon indigenous communities bordering Venezuela and tested frightened members for COVID-19.

Brazil military moves to protect Indigenous people from COVID-19 deep in Amazon forest

Forget hydroxychloroquine. Try tea of jambu, also know as the toothache plant, that villagers in the eastern Amazon believe will help you keep new coronavirus at bay.

Amazon villagers take herbal tea to fight COVID-19

On the occasion of World Environment Day, we bring you the story of a Venezuelan Charles Brewer who is tirelessly working towards saving the Amazon rainforest since his college days. Watch report

World Environment Day: Charles Brewer is preserving Amazon rainforest since college

Indigenous groups from nine countries in the Amazon basin called on Wednesday (May 6) for donations to help protect 3 million rainforest inhabitants who are vulnerable to the spread of the novel coronavirus because they lack adequate access to healthcare.

Amazon indigenous groups launch international fund to fight coronavirus

A new study has revealed that the trees in the world's largest rainforest are losing their ability to absorb carbon.

The study tracked 300,000 trees over 30 years, providing the first large-scale evidence of the decline in carbon uptake by the world’s tropical forests.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-amazon-fires-challenge-to-india-and-developing-world-246303">Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World</a>

It was published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

For the last three decades, the amount of carbon absorbed by the world’s intact tropical forests has fallen, according to the study from nearly 100 scientific institutions.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chaotic-climate-chaotic-cities-fuel-brazil-flood-toll-284386">Chaotic climate, chaotic cities fuel Brazil flood toll</a>

They are now taking up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, owing to the impacts of higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation. That downward trend is likely to continue, as forests come under increasing threat from climate change and exploitation.

The Amazon could turn into a source of carbon in the atmosphere, instead of one of the biggest absorbers of the gas, as soon as the next decade, owing to the damage caused by loggers and farming interests and the impacts of the climate crisis, new research has found.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bearing-brunt-of-climate-change-240729">Bearing brunt of climate change</a>

If that happens, climate breakdown is likely to become much more severe in its impacts, and the world will have to cut down much faster on carbon-producing activities to counteract the loss of the carbon sinks.

''We’ve found that one of the most worrying impacts of climate change has already begun,” said Simon Lewis, a professor in the school of geography at Leeds University, one of the senior authors of the research.&nbsp;

''Humans have been lucky so far, as tropical forests are mopping up lots of our pollution, but they can’t keep doing that indefinitely,'' he said.

''We need to curb fossil fuel emissions before the global carbon cycle starts working against us. The time for action is now,'' he added.

A new study has revealed that the trees in the world's largest rainforest are losing their ability to absorb carbon. The study tracked 300,000 trees over 30 years, providing the first large-scale evidence of the decline in carbon uptake by the world’s tropical forests.

A new study has revealed that the trees in the world's largest rainforest are losing their ability to absorb carbon. The study tracked 300,000 trees over 30 years, providing the first large-scale evidence of the decline in carbon uptake by the world’s tropical forests. Also read: Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World It was published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. For the last three decades, the amount of carbon absorbed by the world’s intact tropical forests has fallen, according to the study from nearly 100 scientific institutions. Also read: Chaotic climate, chaotic cities fuel Brazil flood toll They are now taking up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, owing to the impacts of higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation. That downward trend is likely to continue, as forests come under increasing threat from climate change and exploitation. The Amazon could turn into a source of carbon in the atmosphere, instead of one of the biggest absorbers of the gas, as soon as the next decade, owing to the damage caused by loggers and farming interests and the impacts of the climate crisis, new research has found. Also read: Bearing brunt of climate change If that happens, climate breakdown is likely to become much more severe in its impacts, and the world will have to cut down much faster on carbon-producing activities to counteract the loss of the carbon sinks. ''We’ve found that one of the most worrying impacts of climate change has already begun,” said Simon Lewis, a professor in the school of geography at Leeds University, one of the senior authors of the research. ''Humans have been lucky so far, as tropical forests are mopping up lots of our pollution, but they can’t keep doing that indefinitely,'' he said. ''We need to curb fossil fuel emissions before the global carbon cycle starts working against us. The time for action is now,'' he added.

World's largest rainforest losing its ability to absorb carbon: Study

Illegal loggers in the Amazon ambushed an indigenous group that was formed to protect the forest and shot dead a young warrior and wounded another, leaders of the Guajajara tribe in northern Brazil said on Saturday.

Paulo Paulino Guajajara, or Lobo (which means 'wolf' in Portuguese), was hunting on Friday inside the Arariboia reservation in Maranhao state when he was attacked and shot in the head. Another Guajajara, Laercio, was wounded but escaped, they said.

The clash comes amid an increase in invasions of reservations by illegal loggers and miners since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office this year and vowed to open up protected indigenous lands to economic development.

"The Bolsonaro government has indigenous blood on its hands," Brazil's pan-indigenous organization APIB, which represents many of the country's 900,000 native people, said in a statement on Saturday.

"The increase in violence in indigenous territories is a direct result of his hateful speeches and steps taken against our people," APIB said.

APIB leader Sonia Guajajara said the government was dismantling environmental and indigenous agencies, and leaving tribes to defend themselves from invasion of their lands.

"It's time to say enough of this institutionalized genocide," she said in a post on Twitter.

Brazil's federal police said they had sent a team to investigate the circumstances of Paulino Guajajara's death. APIB said his body was still lying in the forest where he was killed.

The Guajajaras, one of Brazil's largest indigenous groups with some 20,000 people, set up the Guardians of the Forest https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-forest-guardians-w/fighting-fire-with-fire-amazon-forest-guardians-stalk-illegal-loggers-idUSKBN1W51CR in 2012 to patrol a vast reservation. The area is so large that a small and endangered tribe, the Awá Guajá, lives deep in the forest without any contact with the outside world.

Paulino Guajajara, who was in his twenties and leaves behind one son, told Reuters in an interview http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-forest-guardians-w/fighting-fire-with-fire-amazon-forest-guardians-stalk-illegal-loggers-idUSKBN1W51CR on the reservation in September that protecting the forest from intruders had become a dangerous task, but his people could not give in to fear.

"I'm scared at times, but we have to lift up our heads and act. We are here fighting," he said, as he and other warriors prepared to move through the forest towards a logging camp.

"We are protecting our land and the life on it, the animals, the birds, even the Awá who are here too," Paulino Guajajara said at the time. "There is so much destruction of Nature happening, good trees with wood as hard as steel being cut down and taken away."

"We have to preserve this life for our children's future," he said.

Illegal loggers in the Amazon ambushed an indigenous group that was formed to protect the forest and shot dead a young warrior and wounded another, leaders of the Guajajara tribe in northern Brazil said on Saturday.

Illegal loggers in the Amazon ambushed an indigenous group that was formed to protect the forest and shot dead a young warrior and wounded another, leaders of the Guajajara tribe in northern Brazil said on Saturday. Paulo Paulino Guajajara, or Lobo (which means 'wolf' in Portuguese), was hunting on Friday inside the Arariboia reservation in Maranhao state when he was attacked and shot in the head. Another Guajajara, Laercio, was wounded but escaped, they said. The clash comes amid an increase in invasions of reservations by illegal loggers and miners since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office this year and vowed to open up protected indigenous lands to economic development. "The Bolsonaro government has indigenous blood on its hands," Brazil's pan-indigenous organization APIB, which represents many of the country's 900,000 native people, said in a statement on Saturday. "The increase in violence in indigenous territories is a direct result of his hateful speeches and steps taken against our people," APIB said. APIB leader Sonia Guajajara said the government was dismantling environmental and indigenous agencies, and leaving tribes to defend themselves from invasion of their lands. "It's time to say enough of this institutionalized genocide," she said in a post on Twitter. Brazil's federal police said they had sent a team to investigate the circumstances of Paulino Guajajara's death. APIB said his body was still lying in the forest where he was killed. The Guajajaras, one of Brazil's largest indigenous groups with some 20,000 people, set up the Guardians of the Forest https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-forest-guardians-w/fighting-fire-with-fire-amazon-forest-guardians-stalk-illegal-loggers-idUSKBN1W51CR in 2012 to patrol a vast reservation. The area is so large that a small and endangered tribe, the Awá Guajá, lives deep in the forest without any contact with the outside world. Paulino Guajajara, who was in his twenties and leaves behind one son, told Reuters in an interview http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-forest-guardians-w/fighting-fire-with-fire-amazon-forest-guardians-stalk-illegal-loggers-idUSKBN1W51CR on the reservation in September that protecting the forest from intruders had become a dangerous task, but his people could not give in to fear. "I'm scared at times, but we have to lift up our heads and act. We are here fighting," he said, as he and other warriors prepared to move through the forest towards a logging camp. "We are protecting our land and the life on it, the animals, the birds, even the Awá who are here too," Paulino Guajajara said at the time. "There is so much destruction of Nature happening, good trees with wood as hard as steel being cut down and taken away." "We have to preserve this life for our children's future," he said.

Amazon: Illegal loggers kill Amazon land defender in ambush, wound another

The fires that burned through the Amazon rainforest last month sparked international outcry and offers of help, but as world leaders meet in New York, the planet's largest rainforest remains engulfed in flames.

The latest satellite data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) shows 131,600 fires burning since January within the country, where 60 per cent of the Amazon lies.

The fires, which are mostly caused by humans with the goal of clearing land for farming and cattle ranching, are having a grievous effect on the forest: the rate of deforestation in the Amazon has nearly doubled since far-right President Jair Bolsonaro came to power on January 1, with the equivalent of 110 football fields of land being cleared every hour.

"It's sad to see Brazilians attacking me for fires in the Amazon as if they hadn't always existed," Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook Thursday.

We "remain below the average of the last 15 years. But I'm accused of being a Nero, who sets fires everywhere."

Yet fires are at a seven-year high, according to INPE data, and despite a slight drop at the start of the month, the number of active fires recorded in Brazil from the start of the year to September 19 was up 56 per cent over the same period in 2018. Nearly half of the blazes are in the Amazon.

Bolsonaro is a climate change sceptic, but last month he sent soldiers to help put out fires in the Amazon region after Brazil came under criticism at the G7 summit, with the host French President Emmanuel Macron among the most outspoken detractors.

Under that deployment, which was renewed Friday for another month, nearly 7,000 soldiers and 16 aircraft are fighting both the flames and "deforestation and illegal mining," Brazil's defence ministry said.

'I'm going to get hit'

Marcio Astrini, a Greenpeace official in Brazil, said the deployment is making little difference.

"We did a lot of fly-overs. We did not see anything happening on the ground, apart from the deforestation that is progressing. It's tragic," he told AFP.

Experts sent by the United States, logistical equipment from Japan, and four aircraft from Chile are all fighting the blazes, while firefighters sent from Israel have departed, the defence ministry said.

Bolsonaro, however, has blanched at other international offers to help put out the fires, rejecting $20 million from the G7 and accusing members France and Germany of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty.

On Monday, Macron will launch a "call for mobilization" on the Amazon together with his counterparts Sebastian Pinera of Chile and Ivan Duque of Colombia during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Brazil won't attend the meeting, but Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, also a climate change sceptic, will appear at the UN's climate summit on Monday, before travelling to Europe.

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro will make the opening speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he is expected to focus on the Amazon.

"I am preparing a rather objective speech, unlike my predecessor," he wrote on Facebook, adding, "I'm going to get hit, you can be sure. The media always finds something to complain about."

No end in sight

Environmental groups have little faith that Bolsonaro will change tack.

The government "wants to show that it is doing the best for the forest. In fact, it is doing its utmost for deforestation," said Greenpeace's Astrini.

"Brazil is running a campaign to show that it is taking care of the Amazon. It's a lie," he said.

And there's little to suggest that the fires are abating.

Between September 18 and 19, the number of forest fires in Rondonia state jumped to 242 from 12 just the day before, an increase of 1,915 per cent, according to the INPE.

Fears are also rising over the number of blazes in the Cerrado savanna, which account for a third of all the fires in Brazil.

And on Friday the World Wide Fund for Nature warned of an "emergency situation in the biome" of the Pantanal wetland.

Fires have risen 351 per cent since January in the Pantanal region, some 90 per cent of which were set illegally.

The fires that burned through the Amazon rainforest last month sparked international outcry and offers of help, but as world leaders meet in New York, the planet's largest rainforest remains engulfed in flames.

The fires that burned through the Amazon rainforest last month sparked international outcry and offers of help, but as world leaders meet in New York, the planet's largest rainforest remains engulfed in flames. The latest satellite data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) shows 131,600 fires burning since January within the country, where 60 per cent of the Amazon lies. The fires, which are mostly caused by humans with the goal of clearing land for farming and cattle ranching, are having a grievous effect on the forest: the rate of deforestation in the Amazon has nearly doubled since far-right President Jair Bolsonaro came to power on January 1, with the equivalent of 110 football fields of land being cleared every hour. "It's sad to see Brazilians attacking me for fires in the Amazon as if they hadn't always existed," Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook Thursday. We "remain below the average of the last 15 years. But I'm accused of being a Nero, who sets fires everywhere." Yet fires are at a seven-year high, according to INPE data, and despite a slight drop at the start of the month, the number of active fires recorded in Brazil from the start of the year to September 19 was up 56 per cent over the same period in 2018. Nearly half of the blazes are in the Amazon. Bolsonaro is a climate change sceptic, but last month he sent soldiers to help put out fires in the Amazon region after Brazil came under criticism at the G7 summit, with the host French President Emmanuel Macron among the most outspoken detractors. Under that deployment, which was renewed Friday for another month, nearly 7,000 soldiers and 16 aircraft are fighting both the flames and "deforestation and illegal mining," Brazil's defence ministry said. 'I'm going to get hit' Marcio Astrini, a Greenpeace official in Brazil, said the deployment is making little difference. "We did a lot of fly-overs. We did not see anything happening on the ground, apart from the deforestation that is progressing. It's tragic," he told AFP. Experts sent by the United States, logistical equipment from Japan, and four aircraft from Chile are all fighting the blazes, while firefighters sent from Israel have departed, the defence ministry said. Bolsonaro, however, has blanched at other international offers to help put out the fires, rejecting $20 million from the G7 and accusing members France and Germany of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty. On Monday, Macron will launch a "call for mobilization" on the Amazon together with his counterparts Sebastian Pinera of Chile and Ivan Duque of Colombia during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Brazil won't attend the meeting, but Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, also a climate change sceptic, will appear at the UN's climate summit on Monday, before travelling to Europe. On Tuesday, Bolsonaro will make the opening speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he is expected to focus on the Amazon. "I am preparing a rather objective speech, unlike my predecessor," he wrote on Facebook, adding, "I'm going to get hit, you can be sure. The media always finds something to complain about." No end in sight Environmental groups have little faith that Bolsonaro will change tack. The government "wants to show that it is doing the best for the forest. In fact, it is doing its utmost for deforestation," said Greenpeace's Astrini. "Brazil is running a campaign to show that it is taking care of the Amazon. It's a lie," he said. And there's little to suggest that the fires are abating. Between September 18 and 19, the number of forest fires in Rondonia state jumped to 242 from 12 just the day before, an increase of 1,915 per cent, according to the INPE. Fears are also rising over the number of blazes in the Cerrado savanna, which account for a third of all the fires in Brazil. And on Friday the World Wide Fund for Nature warned of an "emergency situation in the biome" of the Pantanal wetland. Fires have risen 351 per cent since January in the Pantanal region, some 90 per cent of which were set illegally.

As global leaders meet, the Amazon rainforest burns

A Human Rights Watch report on Tuesday (September 17) found that more than 300 people have been killed over the past decade in conflicts over the use of land and resources in the Amazon, many by organised criminal networks profiting from illegal deforestation.

Hundreds killed in Brazil's Amazon over land, resources in past decade -report

The Amazon's Amahuaca people braved marauding rubber tappers a century ago and now face a new threat to their survival as gold mines and oil wells increasingly encircle their jungle home.

They and other indigenous communities have gone to court to protect their rainforest habitat and keep mining and oil projects off their lands.

But activists here fear legal constraints will only delay defeat in their long conflict with miners.

In June, Amahuaca villagers in Boca Pariamanu, in the heart of the Peruvian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/in-brazils-rainforests-the-worst-fires-are-likely-still-to-come-248685">Amazon </a>basin region, celebrated a rare legal victory. A court recognized their claim to more than 4,000 hectares (9,884 acres) of the rainforest, after years of conflict with Chesnut producers.

Title deeds to the land are key in a wider battle over Amazon resources, said community leader Julio Rolin.

"We need to be able to monitor the land and not be invaded by mining, by illegal logging or invasions by settlers," Rolin told AFP.

The Amahuaca is one of 38 indigenous communities scattered throughout the Madre de Dios river basin, seen as the epicentre of illegal mining in Peru the world's fifth-largest gold producer.

Indigenous umbrella organization Fenamed warns of a wider threat.

Despite the Amahauca's landmark legal victory, the state has altogether granted mining concessions on land occupied by 11 of the 38 local communities.

Under Peruvian law, the state retains the rights to the subsoil of indigenous land, so the government retains the right to grant exploration licenses.

"We demand that rights not be granted to third parties in the territories of indigenous peoples," Fenamed president Julio Cusurichi said.

Boca Pariamanu is accessible only by dugout canoe, two hours from regional capital Puerto Maldonado, and much of the illegal mining here take place without fear of censure.

"Mines contaminate the water, there are no more fish. And it destroys the forest," says Adela Ajahuana, a 23-year old indigenous Arazaire woman.

She fears it is only a matter of time before the mines destroy her own community.

Mud craters&nbsp;

Across the brown Pariamanu river, deforestation has gouged out vast areas of rainforest, with mud craters left behind by prospecting miners.

Mechanical diggers and gold dredgers rumble constantly in the distance.

The government has cracked down on illegal mining high up in the Andes, sending troops to dismantle the wildcat mining town of La Pampa a mountain outpost that mushroomed in 2008 at the height of the global economic crisis when the demand for gold was at its highest.

But the move failed to reassure local Amazon communities.

"There were 30,000 people living there. Where will they go? They will go to other parts of the indigenous territories," said Cusurichi.

State pressure in Bolivia

Across the border in the Bolivian Amazon area of Tacana II, a surge of state-supported oil exploration has alarmed locals.

"Our fear is that this is going to destroy our forest," said Juana Ramirez, a young woman from Las Mercedes, one of Tacana II's four scattered villages that are only accessible by boat.

President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-countries-meet-to-bolster-rainforest-protection-248160">Evo Morales</a>, who is seeking a fourth term next month, is supporting a mining project that will extract 50 million barrels of oil, as well as large quantities of natural gas.

"We could have said no to it, but there are very strong pressure from the state, very strong threats," said Ronaldo Justiniano, head of the territory.

Prospecting began in 2018, after three years of tough negotiations between the Tacanas and the national oil company YPFB.

Tacana II got nearly 500,000 dollars to compensate for environmental damage caused by the prospecting, or $500 per thousand inhabitants.

But the money "is no compensation for the wealth we have on our territory," said Justiniano, visibly concerned over what may unfold here.

For now, he says his community is relieved to have managed to protect its chestnut trees, which reach a height of 50 meters (160 feet).

Chesnut gathering is an important source of income for the tribe between January and April.

The Amazon's Amahuaca people braved marauding rubber tappers a century ago and now face a new threat to their survival as gold mines and oil wells increasingly encircle their jungle home.

The Amazon's Amahuaca people braved marauding rubber tappers a century ago and now face a new threat to their survival as gold mines and oil wells increasingly encircle their jungle home. They and other indigenous communities have gone to court to protect their rainforest habitat and keep mining and oil projects off their lands. But activists here fear legal constraints will only delay defeat in their long conflict with miners. In June, Amahuaca villagers in Boca Pariamanu, in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon basin region, celebrated a rare legal victory. A court recognized their claim to more than 4,000 hectares (9,884 acres) of the rainforest, after years of conflict with Chesnut producers. Title deeds to the land are key in a wider battle over Amazon resources, said community leader Julio Rolin. "We need to be able to monitor the land and not be invaded by mining, by illegal logging or invasions by settlers," Rolin told AFP. The Amahuaca is one of 38 indigenous communities scattered throughout the Madre de Dios river basin, seen as the epicentre of illegal mining in Peru the world's fifth-largest gold producer. Indigenous umbrella organization Fenamed warns of a wider threat. Despite the Amahauca's landmark legal victory, the state has altogether granted mining concessions on land occupied by 11 of the 38 local communities. Under Peruvian law, the state retains the rights to the subsoil of indigenous land, so the government retains the right to grant exploration licenses. "We demand that rights not be granted to third parties in the territories of indigenous peoples," Fenamed president Julio Cusurichi said. Boca Pariamanu is accessible only by dugout canoe, two hours from regional capital Puerto Maldonado, and much of the illegal mining here take place without fear of censure. "Mines contaminate the water, there are no more fish. And it destroys the forest," says Adela Ajahuana, a 23-year old indigenous Arazaire woman. She fears it is only a matter of time before the mines destroy her own community. Mud craters Across the brown Pariamanu river, deforestation has gouged out vast areas of rainforest, with mud craters left behind by prospecting miners. Mechanical diggers and gold dredgers rumble constantly in the distance. The government has cracked down on illegal mining high up in the Andes, sending troops to dismantle the wildcat mining town of La Pampa a mountain outpost that mushroomed in 2008 at the height of the global economic crisis when the demand for gold was at its highest. But the move failed to reassure local Amazon communities. "There were 30,000 people living there. Where will they go? They will go to other parts of the indigenous territories," said Cusurichi. State pressure in Bolivia Across the border in the Bolivian Amazon area of Tacana II, a surge of state-supported oil exploration has alarmed locals. "Our fear is that this is going to destroy our forest," said Juana Ramirez, a young woman from Las Mercedes, one of Tacana II's four scattered villages that are only accessible by boat. President Evo Morales, who is seeking a fourth term next month, is supporting a mining project that will extract 50 million barrels of oil, as well as large quantities of natural gas. "We could have said no to it, but there are very strong pressure from the state, very strong threats," said Ronaldo Justiniano, head of the territory. Prospecting began in 2018, after three years of tough negotiations between the Tacanas and the national oil company YPFB. Tacana II got nearly 500,000 dollars to compensate for environmental damage caused by the prospecting, or $500 per thousand inhabitants. But the money "is no compensation for the wealth we have on our territory," said Justiniano, visibly concerned over what may unfold here. For now, he says his community is relieved to have managed to protect its chestnut trees, which reach a height of 50 meters (160 feet). Chesnut gathering is an important source of income for the tribe between January and April.

Legal respite only temporary as Amazon indigenous battle miners

Call it a shock discovery: DNA research has revealed two entirely new species of electric eel in the Amazon basin, including one capable of delivering a record-breaking jolt.

The findings are evidence, researchers say, of the incredible diversity in the Amazon rainforest -- much of it still unknown to science -- and illustrate why it is so important to protect habitat at risk from deforestation, logging and fires.

"In spite of all human impact on the Amazon rainforest in the last 50 years, we can still discover giant fishes like the two new species of electric eels," said lead researcher C. David de Santana, a zoologist working with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

The research "indicates that an enormous amount of species are waiting to be discovered in the Amazon rainforest, many of which may harbour cures for diseases or inspire technological innovations," he told AFP.

The electric eel, in fact a kind of fish rather than an eel, inspired the design of the first electric battery.

For centuries, it was believed that a single species existed throughout the region known as Greater Amazonia, encompassing parts of countries including Brazil, Suriname and Guyana.

But as part of a project to better understand electric eels and map wildlife in remote parts of South America, de Santana and his team decided to test that conventional wisdom.

At first glance, they found little visible difference between creatures collected from different parts of the Amazon basin, suggesting the fish were indeed part of a single species.

But further analysis, including of DNA from 107 samples they collected, upended centuries of assumptions and revealed three different species: the previously known Electrophorus electricus, along with Electrophorus voltai and Electrophorus varii.

And their research also uncovered another stunning result: E. voltai is capable of delivering a jolt of 860 volts -- much more than the 650 volts previously recorded from electric eels -- "making it the strongest bioelectricity generator known."

'Hidden' functions

The findings, published Tuesday in the Nature Communications journal, theorise that the three species evolved from a shared ancestor millions of years ago.

The researchers found each of the three species has a clearly defined habitat, with E. electricus living in the Guiana Shield region, E. voltai in the Brazilian Shield, a highland further south, and E. varii inhabiting slow-flowing lowland Amazon basin waters.

And they suggest that the particularly strong electric shock that E. voltai can produce could be an adaptation to life in highland waters, where conductivity is less effective.

Electric eels use their shock tactics for a variety of reasons, including hunting prey, self-defence, and navigation.

They generate electricity from three specialised electric organs that can emit charges of varying strengths for different purposes.

But the discovery of the new species raises the possibility that different types of eels may have evolved different ways of generating electricity, perhaps better suited to their diverse environments.

De Santana hopes to compare the genomes of the three species, searching for clues that could offer insights useful to a variety of fields.

"Electric eel physiology inspired the design of Volta's first electric battery, provided a basis... for treating neurodegenerative diseases and recently promoted the advance of hydrogel batteries that could be used to power medical implants," he said.

The newly discovered species may reveal a "hidden variety" of functions "of interest to the broader scientific community."

Call it a shock discovery: DNA research has revealed two entirely new species of electric eel in the Amazon basin, including one capable of delivering a record-breaking jolt.

Call it a shock discovery: DNA research has revealed two entirely new species of electric eel in the Amazon basin, including one capable of delivering a record-breaking jolt. The findings are evidence, researchers say, of the incredible diversity in the Amazon rainforest -- much of it still unknown to science -- and illustrate why it is so important to protect habitat at risk from deforestation, logging and fires. "In spite of all human impact on the Amazon rainforest in the last 50 years, we can still discover giant fishes like the two new species of electric eels," said lead researcher C. David de Santana, a zoologist working with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The research "indicates that an enormous amount of species are waiting to be discovered in the Amazon rainforest, many of which may harbour cures for diseases or inspire technological innovations," he told AFP. The electric eel, in fact a kind of fish rather than an eel, inspired the design of the first electric battery. For centuries, it was believed that a single species existed throughout the region known as Greater Amazonia, encompassing parts of countries including Brazil, Suriname and Guyana. But as part of a project to better understand electric eels and map wildlife in remote parts of South America, de Santana and his team decided to test that conventional wisdom. At first glance, they found little visible difference between creatures collected from different parts of the Amazon basin, suggesting the fish were indeed part of a single species. But further analysis, including of DNA from 107 samples they collected, upended centuries of assumptions and revealed three different species: the previously known Electrophorus electricus, along with Electrophorus voltai and Electrophorus varii. And their research also uncovered another stunning result: E. voltai is capable of delivering a jolt of 860 volts -- much more than the 650 volts previously recorded from electric eels -- "making it the strongest bioelectricity generator known." 'Hidden' functions The findings, published Tuesday in the Nature Communications journal, theorise that the three species evolved from a shared ancestor millions of years ago. The researchers found each of the three species has a clearly defined habitat, with E. electricus living in the Guiana Shield region, E. voltai in the Brazilian Shield, a highland further south, and E. varii inhabiting slow-flowing lowland Amazon basin waters. And they suggest that the particularly strong electric shock that E. voltai can produce could be an adaptation to life in highland waters, where conductivity is less effective. Electric eels use their shock tactics for a variety of reasons, including hunting prey, self-defence, and navigation. They generate electricity from three specialised electric organs that can emit charges of varying strengths for different purposes. But the discovery of the new species raises the possibility that different types of eels may have evolved different ways of generating electricity, perhaps better suited to their diverse environments. De Santana hopes to compare the genomes of the three species, searching for clues that could offer insights useful to a variety of fields. "Electric eel physiology inspired the design of Volta's first electric battery, provided a basis... for treating neurodegenerative diseases and recently promoted the advance of hydrogel batteries that could be used to power medical implants," he said. The newly discovered species may reveal a "hidden variety" of functions "of interest to the broader scientific community."

DNA research reveals two new species of eel that delivers strongest electric jolt

Presidents and ministers from seven Amazon countries met in Colombia on Friday to agree on measures to protect the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-president-bolsonaro-to-skip-amazon-summit-on-doctors-orders-247289">world's biggest rainforest</a>, under threat from wildfires and rampant deforestation.

The summit took place in the wake of an international outcry over months of raging fires that have devastated swaths of the Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia.

The gathering aimed "to foster a space for regional dialogue to advance the protection and sustainable use of this region, which is essential for the survival of the planet," Colombia's President Ivan Duque said.

Duque inaugurated the meeting in a "maloka" -- an indigenous hut -- surrounded by members of the Tikuna tribe with headdresses of coloured feathers in southern Colombia's Amazon city of Leticia.

Brazil's President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hm-suspends-brazil-leather-purchases-over-amazon-fires-247906"> Jair Bolsonaro</a>, widely criticized over policies that favour deforestation and a delayed reaction to the wildfires, did not travel to Leticia, citing doctors' orders.

However, speaking by videoconference, he urged other leaders to resist calls, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, to internationalize protection of the Amazon.

"We must take a strong position of defence of sovereignty so that each country can develop the best policy for the Amazon region, and not leave it in the hands of other countries," said Bolsonaro, who is due to undergo surgery Sunday.

Protection pact&nbsp;

Seated at a long wooden table in the shade of tall trees, the representatives of the seven nations signed the "Leticia Pact for the Amazon" that Duque said would provide greater protection for the rainforest, as existing treaties had "fallen short."&nbsp;

The pact establishes a roadmap for safeguarding the rainforest "not only for the Amazon countries but also the nations of the region and the international community," he said.

Colombia's Environment Minister Ricardo Lozano said the new measures include the establishment of an "Amazonian cooperation network" to share information on deforestation, including weather data to mitigate the effects of climate change, and threats from illegal mining and logging.

"We needed to increase and strengthen the cooperation between us, precisely to meet the great challenges of the Amazon, which are becoming more extreme and more intense every day," he told reporters in Leticia.

Aside from the host Duque, other presidents attending were Peru's Martin Vizcarra, Ecuador's Lenin Moreno and Evo Morales of Bolivia. Suriname's vice-president Michael Adhin and Guyana's natural resources minister Raphael Trotman also attended.

Brazil was represented by Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo.

"We have to give concrete answers," Vizcarra told the conference. "The dimension of the problem forces us to make drastic decisions."

New instruments

In a message to the summit, UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay called on leaders to "reinforce existing instruments" designed to protect the Amazon.

"These instruments should be strengthened, more states encouraged to ratify them, increase protected areas, strengthen surveillance and action capabilities."

Brazil contains 60 per cent of the rainforest within its borders, with the rest spread over areas of Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela as well as the French overseas department of French Guyana.

Venezuela, despite having a large swath of the Amazon, was not invited, as host Colombia does not recognize the presidency of Nicolas Maduro.

Presidents and ministers from seven Amazon countries met in Colombia on Friday to agree on measures to protect the world's biggest rainforest, under threat from wildfires and rampant deforestation.

Presidents and ministers from seven Amazon countries met in Colombia on Friday to agree on measures to protect the world's biggest rainforest, under threat from wildfires and rampant deforestation. The summit took place in the wake of an international outcry over months of raging fires that have devastated swaths of the Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia. The gathering aimed "to foster a space for regional dialogue to advance the protection and sustainable use of this region, which is essential for the survival of the planet," Colombia's President Ivan Duque said. Duque inaugurated the meeting in a "maloka" -- an indigenous hut -- surrounded by members of the Tikuna tribe with headdresses of coloured feathers in southern Colombia's Amazon city of Leticia. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, widely criticized over policies that favour deforestation and a delayed reaction to the wildfires, did not travel to Leticia, citing doctors' orders. However, speaking by videoconference, he urged other leaders to resist calls, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, to internationalize protection of the Amazon. "We must take a strong position of defence of sovereignty so that each country can develop the best policy for the Amazon region, and not leave it in the hands of other countries," said Bolsonaro, who is due to undergo surgery Sunday. Protection pact Seated at a long wooden table in the shade of tall trees, the representatives of the seven nations signed the "Leticia Pact for the Amazon" that Duque said would provide greater protection for the rainforest, as existing treaties had "fallen short." The pact establishes a roadmap for safeguarding the rainforest "not only for the Amazon countries but also the nations of the region and the international community," he said. Colombia's Environment Minister Ricardo Lozano said the new measures include the establishment of an "Amazonian cooperation network" to share information on deforestation, including weather data to mitigate the effects of climate change, and threats from illegal mining and logging. "We needed to increase and strengthen the cooperation between us, precisely to meet the great challenges of the Amazon, which are becoming more extreme and more intense every day," he told reporters in Leticia. Aside from the host Duque, other presidents attending were Peru's Martin Vizcarra, Ecuador's Lenin Moreno and Evo Morales of Bolivia. Suriname's vice-president Michael Adhin and Guyana's natural resources minister Raphael Trotman also attended. Brazil was represented by Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo. "We have to give concrete answers," Vizcarra told the conference. "The dimension of the problem forces us to make drastic decisions." New instruments In a message to the summit, UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay called on leaders to "reinforce existing instruments" designed to protect the Amazon. "These instruments should be strengthened, more states encouraged to ratify them, increase protected areas, strengthen surveillance and action capabilities." Brazil contains 60 per cent of the rainforest within its borders, with the rest spread over areas of Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela as well as the French overseas department of French Guyana. Venezuela, despite having a large swath of the Amazon, was not invited, as host Colombia does not recognize the presidency of Nicolas Maduro.

Aimed at greater protection, seven Amazon countries sign Leticia Pact at Colombia summit

President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday that Europe has "nothing to teach" Brazil about preserving the environment, as data showed thousands of new fires were ignited on the first day of a ban on burning.&nbsp;

The far-right leader's comments are likely to fuel a diplomatic row between Brazil and Europe over the worst fires in years in the Amazon basin. Offers have come in from overseas to help put them out.&nbsp;

It comes as a Brazilian delegation, which includes Bolsonaro's third son and hopeful ambassador to the United States, is set to meet with senior US administration officials at the White House on Friday after President Donald Trump offered to assist with the Amazon crisis.&nbsp;

Bolsonaro has accused Germany and France of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty after the G7 offered $20 million in Amazon fire aid and he initially rejected the money unless his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron withdrew insults made against him. &nbsp;

Bolsonaro later said Brazil would accept bilateral aid to fight the fires but has insisted the Latin American country must control the money.

The Brazilian president told reporters he would talk to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, without specifying when, and repeated a demand that "our dear Macron" retract remarks relating to Brazil's sovereignty of the Amazon before he would speak to him.&nbsp;

"Europe has nothing to teach us about preserving the environment," Bolsonaro said, reiterating his plan for "sustainable exploitation" of the Amazon.

"It will happen," he added.

The visit by Bolsonaro's son Eduardo and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo to Washington was to thank Trump for his support during the crisis over the Amazon fires, the Brazilian leader said Thursday.

A senior US administration official said the men would visit the White House. There was no confirmation they would meet with Trump.

More fires

On the eve of the G7 summit last week, Macron declared the forest fires, which are also affecting Bolivia, an "international crisis" and put it on the agenda of the gathering of the rich democracies.&nbsp;

Macron also accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's climate change stance.

Bolsonaro reacted furiously, accusing Macron of having a "colonialist mentality."&nbsp;

Under growing pressure to do more, Bolsonaro issued a nationwide 60-day ban on burning that took effect Thursday.&nbsp;

Activists quickly doused hopes that the prohibition would work in the remote Amazon region where deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened.&nbsp;

On the same day, as the ban took effect, 2,300 new fires were detected -- most of them in the Amazon basin -- taking the total number for this year to 87,257, the latest figures from the National Institute for Space Research show.

Nearly 1,500 of the new fires were in the vast Amazon basin.&nbsp;

This year's total is the highest since 2010 when 132,106 fires were detected across the country.

Para was the hardest hit state on Thursday, with 587 new blazes -- up 67 per cent from the previous day.

Some 464 fires were started in Mato Grosso, a rise of 274 per cent.&nbsp;

In Rondonia, where firefighting efforts were initially concentrated, 67 new fires were registered, nearly three times the previous day. &nbsp;

Police on Thursday arrested three people for burning more than 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) in a conservation area in Para.&nbsp;

Thousands of troops and firefighters have been deployed since the weekend to combat the fires, along with two C-130 Hercules and other aircraft that are dumping water over affected areas in the country's north.

The defence ministry says the fires are under control.&nbsp;

Bolsonaro claimed in a live broadcast on Facebook on Thursday that "this year's fires are below the average of recent years."

President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday that Europe has "nothing to teach" Brazil about preserving the environment, as data showed thousands of new fires were ignited on the first day of a ban on burning.

President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday that Europe has "nothing to teach" Brazil about preserving the environment, as data showed thousands of new fires were ignited on the first day of a ban on burning. The far-right leader's comments are likely to fuel a diplomatic row between Brazil and Europe over the worst fires in years in the Amazon basin. Offers have come in from overseas to help put them out. It comes as a Brazilian delegation, which includes Bolsonaro's third son and hopeful ambassador to the United States, is set to meet with senior US administration officials at the White House on Friday after President Donald Trump offered to assist with the Amazon crisis. Bolsonaro has accused Germany and France of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty after the G7 offered $20 million in Amazon fire aid and he initially rejected the money unless his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron withdrew insults made against him. Bolsonaro later said Brazil would accept bilateral aid to fight the fires but has insisted the Latin American country must control the money. The Brazilian president told reporters he would talk to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, without specifying when, and repeated a demand that "our dear Macron" retract remarks relating to Brazil's sovereignty of the Amazon before he would speak to him. "Europe has nothing to teach us about preserving the environment," Bolsonaro said, reiterating his plan for "sustainable exploitation" of the Amazon. "It will happen," he added. The visit by Bolsonaro's son Eduardo and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo to Washington was to thank Trump for his support during the crisis over the Amazon fires, the Brazilian leader said Thursday. A senior US administration official said the men would visit the White House. There was no confirmation they would meet with Trump. More fires On the eve of the G7 summit last week, Macron declared the forest fires, which are also affecting Bolivia, an "international crisis" and put it on the agenda of the gathering of the rich democracies. Macron also accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's climate change stance. Bolsonaro reacted furiously, accusing Macron of having a "colonialist mentality." Under growing pressure to do more, Bolsonaro issued a nationwide 60-day ban on burning that took effect Thursday. Activists quickly doused hopes that the prohibition would work in the remote Amazon region where deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened. On the same day, as the ban took effect, 2,300 new fires were detected -- most of them in the Amazon basin -- taking the total number for this year to 87,257, the latest figures from the National Institute for Space Research show. Nearly 1,500 of the new fires were in the vast Amazon basin. This year's total is the highest since 2010 when 132,106 fires were detected across the country. Para was the hardest hit state on Thursday, with 587 new blazes -- up 67 per cent from the previous day. Some 464 fires were started in Mato Grosso, a rise of 274 per cent. In Rondonia, where firefighting efforts were initially concentrated, 67 new fires were registered, nearly three times the previous day. Police on Thursday arrested three people for burning more than 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) in a conservation area in Para. Thousands of troops and firefighters have been deployed since the weekend to combat the fires, along with two C-130 Hercules and other aircraft that are dumping water over affected areas in the country's north. The defence ministry says the fires are under control. Bolsonaro claimed in a live broadcast on Facebook on Thursday that "this year's fires are below the average of recent years."

'Europe has nothing to teach Brazil about preserving environment,' says Bolsonaro as Amazon fires soar

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son and hopeful ambassador to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ready-to-fight-amazon-fires-only-in-cooperation-with-brazil-246347">United States </a>is set to travel to Washington Friday to thank Donald Trump for his support during the crisis surrounding the fires in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazils-burning-ban-takes-effect-as-amazon-fires-rage-246490">Amazon rainforest</a>.

"Our minister Ernesto Araujo and Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro will be received this Friday by President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington," the Brazilian leader tweeted late Thursday.&nbsp;

"Brazil and the United States have never been so aligned," he added. "Coordination with the US president was essential for defending Brazil's sovereignty during the G7 summit."

At the end of a recent meeting between the leaders of the world's seven most powerful economies, French President Emmanuel Macron floated the possibility of sending aid to help control the proliferation of fires burning in the Amazon.&nbsp;

The rainforest, which is the world's largest and crucial to a stable global climate, is mostly located in Brazil.&nbsp;

Bolsonaro and Macron have locked horns several times over the issue, while Trump tweeted his "full and complete support" for the Brazilian president.

Eduardo Bolsonaro confirmed Thursday that he would be accompanying Foreign Minister Araujo to give his "thanks" to Trump.

"The influence of the US within the G7 is essential," Eduardo, who currently heads the foreign affairs committee in the Chamber of Deputies, said according to the newspaper O Globo.&nbsp;

Jair Bolsonaro has said he is considering appointing his son to be Brazil's ambassador to the US and that Washington has already endorsed the idea, but he would still need to be officially nominated and then approved by the Senate.

Trump -- who counts his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner among his most senior advisors -- effusively praised the idea last month, saying he thought it would be "a great appointment," and that: "I don't think it's nepotism."

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son and hopeful ambassador to the United States is set to travel to Washington Friday to thank Donald Trump for his support during the crisis surrounding the fires in the Amazon rainforest.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son and hopeful ambassador to the United States is set to travel to Washington Friday to thank Donald Trump for his support during the crisis surrounding the fires in the Amazon rainforest. "Our minister Ernesto Araujo and Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro will be received this Friday by President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington," the Brazilian leader tweeted late Thursday. "Brazil and the United States have never been so aligned," he added. "Coordination with the US president was essential for defending Brazil's sovereignty during the G7 summit." At the end of a recent meeting between the leaders of the world's seven most powerful economies, French President Emmanuel Macron floated the possibility of sending aid to help control the proliferation of fires burning in the Amazon. The rainforest, which is the world's largest and crucial to a stable global climate, is mostly located in Brazil. Bolsonaro and Macron have locked horns several times over the issue, while Trump tweeted his "full and complete support" for the Brazilian president. Eduardo Bolsonaro confirmed Thursday that he would be accompanying Foreign Minister Araujo to give his "thanks" to Trump. "The influence of the US within the G7 is essential," Eduardo, who currently heads the foreign affairs committee in the Chamber of Deputies, said according to the newspaper O Globo. Jair Bolsonaro has said he is considering appointing his son to be Brazil's ambassador to the US and that Washington has already endorsed the idea, but he would still need to be officially nominated and then approved by the Senate. Trump -- who counts his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner among his most senior advisors -- effusively praised the idea last month, saying he thought it would be "a great appointment," and that: "I don't think it's nepotism."

Bolsonaro's son heads to Washington to thank Trump for Amazon support

Fires in Brazil's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazils-burning-ban-takes-effect-as-amazon-fires-rage-246490">Amazon rainforest</a> have receded slightly since President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaros-son-heads-to-washington-to-thank-trump-for-amazon-support-246511">Jair Bolsonaro</a> sent in the military to help battle the blazes, but international fallout accelerated as a major shoemaker said it would not buy supplies from Brazil.

Brazil has registered 2,696 fires in the Amazon in the five days since Saturday, when the military began on-the-ground firefighting efforts, according to data from Brazil's space research agency INPE. That is down 31% from the previous five days when 3,917 fires were registered before the military response.

The thousands of fires tearing through the Amazon have spawned an international crisis for Brazil, with public protests and world leaders voicing concern that Bolsonaro's government is doing too little to protect the world's largest tropical rainforest. After several days of criticism, Bolsonaro decided to send in the military to support firefighting efforts.

This year's surge in fires, which INPE says is the worst since 2010, also raises fears of companies stepping back from Brazil amid adverse publicity surrounding the burning forest and the prospect of international sanctions.

On Thursday, the owner of shoe and apparel brands including Timberland, Vans and the North Face took the most concrete corporate move yet in response to the fires. VF Corp&nbsp;will no longer buy Brazilian leather, it said in a statement.

VF said it would resume buying Brazilian leather when "we have the confidence and assurance that the materials used in our products do not contribute to environmental harm in the country."

The Greensboro, North Carolina-based company, whose other brands include Dickies, Smartwool and JanSport, said it is no longer able to assure that leather from Brazilian suppliers meets this commitment.

The company did not respond to questions regarding the value of its Brazilian leather imports or possible markets it might use for alternative supply.

According to the Center for the Brazilian Tanning Industry, the main leather trade group in Brazil, the country exported $1.44 billion of bovine leather in 2018. Its largest export markets were the United States, China and Italy, which together consumed about 60% of Brazilian leather exports in 2018.

Elsewhere, Norway has urged several of its companies to ensure they do not contribute to Amazon deforestation, including oil firm Equinor ASA, fertilizer-maker Yara International ASA and aluminum producer Norsk Hydro ASA.

The fires have also led to heightened scrutiny of Brazilian agriculture, one of the country's main economic engines.

Responding to concerns, soy crusher industry group Abiove released data it said shows that production of the oilseeds is not contributing to the fires.

The 10 towns in the Amazon reporting the most fires have only 30,000 hectares of soy planted, a negligible amount in Brazil's overall soy trade, Abiove said. Brazil's total planted soy area is 36 million hectares.

Still, more than half of the plantings were in the municipality of Novo Progresso in the Amazonian state of Pará. That town was the epicentre of the so-called Fire Day earlier this month which allegedly called on people to set fires to clear land for agriculture and cattle grazing - a claim prosecutors are still investigating.

Environmentalists claim that fires were set by real estate speculators and ranchers, as it is common practice to clear land for agricultural use.

Bolsonaro has insisted fires are under control and issued a decree on Thursday banning fires from being set across the country for 60 days.

On Thursday, he thanked US&nbsp;President Donald Trump for his support in the Group of Seven's discussion of the Amazon region at last weekend's summit in France of the world's wealthiest nations. 
&nbsp;

Fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest have receded slightly since President Jair Bolsonaro sent in the military to help battle the blazes, but international fallout accelerated as a major shoemaker said it would not buy supplies from Brazil.

Fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest have receded slightly since President Jair Bolsonaro sent in the military to help battle the blazes, but international fallout accelerated as a major shoemaker said it would not buy supplies from Brazil. Brazil has registered 2,696 fires in the Amazon in the five days since Saturday, when the military began on-the-ground firefighting efforts, according to data from Brazil's space research agency INPE. That is down 31% from the previous five days when 3,917 fires were registered before the military response. The thousands of fires tearing through the Amazon have spawned an international crisis for Brazil, with public protests and world leaders voicing concern that Bolsonaro's government is doing too little to protect the world's largest tropical rainforest. After several days of criticism, Bolsonaro decided to send in the military to support firefighting efforts. This year's surge in fires, which INPE says is the worst since 2010, also raises fears of companies stepping back from Brazil amid adverse publicity surrounding the burning forest and the prospect of international sanctions. On Thursday, the owner of shoe and apparel brands including Timberland, Vans and the North Face took the most concrete corporate move yet in response to the fires. VF Corp will no longer buy Brazilian leather, it said in a statement. VF said it would resume buying Brazilian leather when "we have the confidence and assurance that the materials used in our products do not contribute to environmental harm in the country." The Greensboro, North Carolina-based company, whose other brands include Dickies, Smartwool and JanSport, said it is no longer able to assure that leather from Brazilian suppliers meets this commitment. The company did not respond to questions regarding the value of its Brazilian leather imports or possible markets it might use for alternative supply. According to the Center for the Brazilian Tanning Industry, the main leather trade group in Brazil, the country exported $1.44 billion of bovine leather in 2018. Its largest export markets were the United States, China and Italy, which together consumed about 60% of Brazilian leather exports in 2018. Elsewhere, Norway has urged several of its companies to ensure they do not contribute to Amazon deforestation, including oil firm Equinor ASA, fertilizer-maker Yara International ASA and aluminum producer Norsk Hydro ASA. The fires have also led to heightened scrutiny of Brazilian agriculture, one of the country's main economic engines. Responding to concerns, soy crusher industry group Abiove released data it said shows that production of the oilseeds is not contributing to the fires. The 10 towns in the Amazon reporting the most fires have only 30,000 hectares of soy planted, a negligible amount in Brazil's overall soy trade, Abiove said. Brazil's total planted soy area is 36 million hectares. Still, more than half of the plantings were in the municipality of Novo Progresso in the Amazonian state of Pará. That town was the epicentre of the so-called Fire Day earlier this month which allegedly called on people to set fires to clear land for agriculture and cattle grazing - a claim prosecutors are still investigating. Environmentalists claim that fires were set by real estate speculators and ranchers, as it is common practice to clear land for agricultural use. Bolsonaro has insisted fires are under control and issued a decree on Thursday banning fires from being set across the country for 60 days. On Thursday, he thanked US President Donald Trump for his support in the Group of Seven's discussion of the Amazon region at last weekend's summit in France of the world's wealthiest nations.

In response to Amazon wildfire, owner of Timberland, Vans says will not buy Brazilian leather

A 60-day ban on burning in Brazil takes effect Thursday after a global outcry over fires raging in the Amazon and data showing hundreds of new blazes in the rainforest.

The decree issued by President Jair Bolsonaro comes after escalating international pressure over the worst fires in the Amazon in years that have ignited a diplomatic spat between Brazil and Europe.

But activists quickly doused hopes that the ban would work.

"The people who burn without a license are not going to obey," said Rodrigo Junqueira of the Socio-Environmental Institute.&nbsp;

Thousands of troops and firefighters have been deployed since the weekend to combat the fires, along with two C-130 Hercules and other aircraft that are dumping water over the hardest-hit areas in the country's north.

More than 1,600 new fires were ignited between Tuesday and Wednesday, taking this year's total to almost 85,000 -- the highest number since 2010, official data shows. More than half of them are in the vast Amazon basin.

The new figures comes as UN chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday mooted a meeting of key countries to drum up support to tackle the fires that have also devastated swaths of Bolivia.&nbsp;

"We are strongly appealing for the mobilization of resources and we have been in contact with countries to see whether, during the high-level session of the General Assembly, there could be a meeting devoted to the mobilization of support to the Amazon," Guterres told reporters.

Ban 'not useful'

International offers of help for combatting the fires is a hot-button issue in Brazil, with Bolsonaro and others insisting on the country's sovereign rights over the Amazon.

Bolsonaro on Wednesday accused France and Germany of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty after the G7 offered $20 million in Amazon fire aid.

Vice President Hamilton Mourao -- widely considered a moderate voice in Bolsonaro's government -- also weighed in publicly for the first time on Wednesday, insisting in an opinion piece that "our Amazon will continue to be Brazilian."

The governors of several states in the Amazon told Bolsonaro in a meeting on Tuesday that international help was needed.

Their plea came after Norway and Germany halted around $70 million in Amazon protection subsidies earlier this month.&nbsp;

The United States is ready and willing to help Brazil fight forest fires in the Amazon, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, criticizing the G7 for failing to consult Bolsonaro over its initiative. &nbsp;

Bolsonaro also renewed a demand Wednesday that French leader Emmanuel Macron withdraw "insults" against him, fueling a war of words between the two men that threatens to torpedo a huge trade deal between the European Union and South American countries, including Brazil.

In the escalating row, Macron has accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's climate change stance, while Bolsonaro has slammed Macron as having a colonialist mentality.&nbsp;

"I think Bolsonaro is causing enormous harm to the Brazilian people, a little out of evil and a little out of ignorance," former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told the BBC from jail where he is serving a nearly nine-year sentence for corruption.

Even as Bolsonaro's decree was published Thursday, there were already doubts over how Brazil would enforce the two-month ban on burning in the remote region where deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened.

"It will not be useful," a sceptical fruit shop owner in Porto Velho, the capital of the northwestern state of Rondonia, told AFP.

"There's insufficient supervision." &nbsp;

WWF said Brazil already had laws and tools to detect illegal deforestation and burning, but it lacked enforcement.

"The certainty of impunity is the great spark that starts the fires," WWF said.&nbsp;

Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing has aggravated the recurring problem of fires.

The defence ministry says the fires are under control and that the number of blazes is falling, helped by recent rain in the affected areas.

A 60-day ban on burning in Brazil takes effect Thursday after a global outcry over fires raging in the Amazon and data showing hundreds of new blazes in the rainforest.

A 60-day ban on burning in Brazil takes effect Thursday after a global outcry over fires raging in the Amazon and data showing hundreds of new blazes in the rainforest. The decree issued by President Jair Bolsonaro comes after escalating international pressure over the worst fires in the Amazon in years that have ignited a diplomatic spat between Brazil and Europe. But activists quickly doused hopes that the ban would work. "The people who burn without a license are not going to obey," said Rodrigo Junqueira of the Socio-Environmental Institute. Thousands of troops and firefighters have been deployed since the weekend to combat the fires, along with two C-130 Hercules and other aircraft that are dumping water over the hardest-hit areas in the country's north. More than 1,600 new fires were ignited between Tuesday and Wednesday, taking this year's total to almost 85,000 -- the highest number since 2010, official data shows. More than half of them are in the vast Amazon basin. The new figures comes as UN chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday mooted a meeting of key countries to drum up support to tackle the fires that have also devastated swaths of Bolivia. "We are strongly appealing for the mobilization of resources and we have been in contact with countries to see whether, during the high-level session of the General Assembly, there could be a meeting devoted to the mobilization of support to the Amazon," Guterres told reporters. Ban 'not useful' International offers of help for combatting the fires is a hot-button issue in Brazil, with Bolsonaro and others insisting on the country's sovereign rights over the Amazon. Bolsonaro on Wednesday accused France and Germany of "buying" Brazil's sovereignty after the G7 offered $20 million in Amazon fire aid. Vice President Hamilton Mourao -- widely considered a moderate voice in Bolsonaro's government -- also weighed in publicly for the first time on Wednesday, insisting in an opinion piece that "our Amazon will continue to be Brazilian." The governors of several states in the Amazon told Bolsonaro in a meeting on Tuesday that international help was needed. Their plea came after Norway and Germany halted around $70 million in Amazon protection subsidies earlier this month. The United States is ready and willing to help Brazil fight forest fires in the Amazon, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, criticizing the G7 for failing to consult Bolsonaro over its initiative. Bolsonaro also renewed a demand Wednesday that French leader Emmanuel Macron withdraw "insults" against him, fueling a war of words between the two men that threatens to torpedo a huge trade deal between the European Union and South American countries, including Brazil. In the escalating row, Macron has accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's climate change stance, while Bolsonaro has slammed Macron as having a colonialist mentality. "I think Bolsonaro is causing enormous harm to the Brazilian people, a little out of evil and a little out of ignorance," former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told the BBC from jail where he is serving a nearly nine-year sentence for corruption. Even as Bolsonaro's decree was published Thursday, there were already doubts over how Brazil would enforce the two-month ban on burning in the remote region where deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened. "It will not be useful," a sceptical fruit shop owner in Porto Velho, the capital of the northwestern state of Rondonia, told AFP. "There's insufficient supervision." WWF said Brazil already had laws and tools to detect illegal deforestation and burning, but it lacked enforcement. "The certainty of impunity is the great spark that starts the fires," WWF said. Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing has aggravated the recurring problem of fires. The defence ministry says the fires are under control and that the number of blazes is falling, helped by recent rain in the affected areas.

Brazil's burning ban takes effect as Amazon fires rage

An unprecedented number of fires have raged throughout Brazil in 2019, intensifying in August. There have been more than 74,000 fires so far this year, the most ever recorded by the country’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

Amazon Rainforest Continues To Burn

Amazon Rainforest Continues To Burn As Life In Amazon Basin Comes Under Threat

Gravitas: Amazon Rainforest: Fires continue to burn unabated

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - August 29th, 2019

Gravitas: The Amazon continues to Burn

Top Cinematic Works On The Amazon Rainforest

Gravitas: Amazon Rainforest in Reel Life

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that South American countries would meet to determine a common policy in defence of the Amazon rainforest, and took another swipe at France for an offer of $20 million in aid.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that South American countries would meet to determine a common policy in defence of the Amazon rainforest, and took another swipe at France for an offer of $20 million in aid. In an indication that Bolsonaro, a far-right conservative, is forging closer ties with neighbouring countries than European nations, he also accepted Chile's offer of four aircraft to help fight the fires sweeping through the world's largest rainforest. × Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera in Brasilia, Bolsonaro said a meeting with regional neighbours except Venezuela to discuss a common policy in defence of the Amazon will be held on September 6 in the Colombian city of Leticia. Pinera offered his full backing to Bolsonaro, saying the sovereignty of the nations that share the Amazon had to be respected, while Bolsonaro said Brazil's sovereignty had "no price, not even $20 trillion." That was a reference to an offer of $20 million aid announced by French President Emmanuel Macron at a summit of the G7 wealthy nations in Biarritz over the weekend, which Bolsonaro dismissed as an insulting attempt to "buy" Brazil's sovereignty. Macron has accused Bolsonaro, a longtime sceptic of environmental concerns, of lying about climate change. "The French government called me a liar. Only after it has recanted what it said about me ... and the Brazilian people, who do not accept this diminution of the Amazon's sovereignty ... if so, then we can talk again," Bolsonaro said. Brazil's Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, who shares Bolsonaro's scepticism of environmental concerns and has been at the forefront of the Brazilian government's response to the Amazon crisis, remained in the Armed Forces Hospital in Brasilia on Wednesday. Salles, 44, was admitted to the hospital's emergency unit on Tuesday after complaining of not feeling well, the hospital said in a statement. Hospital staff opted to carry out "routine examinations," and he is in stable condition, it said.

Brazil announces South American meeting on Amazon, accepts Chile's help

A few charred trees are all that remain in this patch of the Amazon after it was ravaged by fires, a sombre scene which has angered the international community as a record number of fires in the Amazon rainforest intensified an unfolding environmental crisis.

Drone reveals aftermath of Amazon fires

Hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, data showed Monday, even as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-pledges-millions-to-help-fight-amazon-fires-245803">military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas and G7 nations pledged to help combat the blazes</a>.

Smoke choked Port Velho city as fires raged in the northwestern state of Rondonia where fire-fighting efforts are concentrated, amid a growing global uproar and a diplomatic spat between France and Brazil.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying thousands of liters of water on Sunday began dousing fires devouring chunks of the world's largest rainforest, which is seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check. &nbsp;

Swaths of the remote region have been scorched by the worst fires in years, sending thick smoke billowing into the sky.

Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing has aggravated the problem this year.&nbsp;

The worsening crisis has fueled a row between President Jair Bolsonaro and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who has been piling pressure on Bolsonaro to do more to protect the forest.

Macron on Monday condemned "extraordinarily rude" comments made about his wife Brigitte by Bolsonaro a day earlier.

Bolsonaro hit back, accusing Macron of treating Brazil like "a colony or no-man's land."

The spat comes as G7 nations meeting in southwestern France agreed to spend 20 million euros ($22 million) on the Amazon, mainly to send fire-fighting aircraft.&nbsp;

The G7 club also agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September, Macron and Chile's President Sebastian Pinera said.

Although about 60 per cent of the Amazon is in Brazil, the vast forest also spreads over parts of eight other countries or territories.

Bolivian President Evo Morales said Sunday he would accept international help to combat wildfires raging in his country's southeast as he suspended his election campaign to deal with the crisis.&nbsp;

Brazil has accepted help from Israel, which offered to send an aircraft. &nbsp;

Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the Brazilian army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops have been made available to combat fires.

It is not clear how many of them are actually involved in fire-fighting efforts so far.

After initially blaming the fires on non-government organizations, Bolsonaro on Friday vowed a "zero tolerance" approach to criminal activities in the Amazon and promised strong action to control the blazes.

Dozens of firefighters arrived in Porto Velho on Sunday and Justice Minister Sergio Moro has given the green light for the deployment of security forces to tackle illegal deforestation.&nbsp;

The latest official figures show 80,626 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since at least 2013. &nbsp;

More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin.&nbsp;

Some 1,113 new fires were ignited between Saturday and Sunday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research.

Hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, data showed Monday, even as military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas and G7 nations pledged to help combat the blazes.

Hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, data showed Monday, even as military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas and G7 nations pledged to help combat the blazes. Smoke choked Port Velho city as fires raged in the northwestern state of Rondonia where fire-fighting efforts are concentrated, amid a growing global uproar and a diplomatic spat between France and Brazil. Two C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying thousands of liters of water on Sunday began dousing fires devouring chunks of the world's largest rainforest, which is seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check. Swaths of the remote region have been scorched by the worst fires in years, sending thick smoke billowing into the sky. Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing has aggravated the problem this year. The worsening crisis has fueled a row between President Jair Bolsonaro and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who has been piling pressure on Bolsonaro to do more to protect the forest. Macron on Monday condemned "extraordinarily rude" comments made about his wife Brigitte by Bolsonaro a day earlier. Bolsonaro hit back, accusing Macron of treating Brazil like "a colony or no-man's land." The spat comes as G7 nations meeting in southwestern France agreed to spend 20 million euros ($22 million) on the Amazon, mainly to send fire-fighting aircraft. The G7 club also agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September, Macron and Chile's President Sebastian Pinera said. Although about 60 per cent of the Amazon is in Brazil, the vast forest also spreads over parts of eight other countries or territories. Bolivian President Evo Morales said Sunday he would accept international help to combat wildfires raging in his country's southeast as he suspended his election campaign to deal with the crisis. Brazil has accepted help from Israel, which offered to send an aircraft. Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the Brazilian army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops have been made available to combat fires. It is not clear how many of them are actually involved in fire-fighting efforts so far. After initially blaming the fires on non-government organizations, Bolsonaro on Friday vowed a "zero tolerance" approach to criminal activities in the Amazon and promised strong action to control the blazes. Dozens of firefighters arrived in Porto Velho on Sunday and Justice Minister Sergio Moro has given the green light for the deployment of security forces to tackle illegal deforestation. The latest official figures show 80,626 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since at least 2013. More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin. Some 1,113 new fires were ignited between Saturday and Sunday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research.

More fires flare up in Amazon as Brazil warplanes fight blazes

The G7 has agreed to spend 20 million euros ($22 million) on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/why-are-amazon-fires-so-damaging-and-how-can-we-stop-them-245735">Amazon</a>, mainly to send firefighting aircraft to tackle the huge blazes engulfing many parts of the world's biggest rainforest, the presidents of France and Chile announced Monday.

The G7 club -- comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States -- has also agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September, France's Emmanuel Macron and Chile's Sebastian Pinera said at the G7 summit in southwest France.

Brazil would have to agree to any reforestation plan, as would indigenous communities living in the Amazon.

The initiative was announced after G7 leaders meeting in the resort of Biarritz held talks on the environment, focusing on the record number of fires destroying chunks of the Amazon.

Macron had declared the situation in the Amazon region an "international crisis" and made it one of the summit's priorities.

He has threatened to block a huge new trade deal between the EU and Latin America unless Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate change sceptic, takes serious steps to protect the forest from logging and mining.

"We must respond to the call of the forest which is burning today in the Amazon," Macron said Monday.

Nearly 80,000 forest fires have been detected in Brazil since the beginning of the year, a little over half in the massive Amazon basin.

Bolsonaro has lashed out at Macron over his criticism and suggested that NGOs could be setting the fires to embarrass him -- without giving any evidence to back the claim.

But at the weekend he finally caved into international pressure to save a region crucial for maintaining a stable global climate, deploying two aircraft to douse the fires and authorising the army to help tackle the blazes.

Speaking in Biarritz, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said new planting was needed "to preserve this universal heritage, which is absolutely essential for the well-being of the world's population."

He said that the issue would be discussed during the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

The G7 has agreed to spend 20 million euros ($22 million) on the Amazon, mainly to send firefighting aircraft to tackle the huge blazes engulfing many parts of the world's biggest rainforest, the presidents of France and Chile announced Monday.

The G7 has agreed to spend 20 million euros ($22 million) on the Amazon, mainly to send firefighting aircraft to tackle the huge blazes engulfing many parts of the world's biggest rainforest, the presidents of France and Chile announced Monday. The G7 club -- comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States -- has also agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September, France's Emmanuel Macron and Chile's Sebastian Pinera said at the G7 summit in southwest France. Brazil would have to agree to any reforestation plan, as would indigenous communities living in the Amazon. The initiative was announced after G7 leaders meeting in the resort of Biarritz held talks on the environment, focusing on the record number of fires destroying chunks of the Amazon. Macron had declared the situation in the Amazon region an "international crisis" and made it one of the summit's priorities. He has threatened to block a huge new trade deal between the EU and Latin America unless Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate change sceptic, takes serious steps to protect the forest from logging and mining. "We must respond to the call of the forest which is burning today in the Amazon," Macron said Monday. Nearly 80,000 forest fires have been detected in Brazil since the beginning of the year, a little over half in the massive Amazon basin. Bolsonaro has lashed out at Macron over his criticism and suggested that NGOs could be setting the fires to embarrass him -- without giving any evidence to back the claim. But at the weekend he finally caved into international pressure to save a region crucial for maintaining a stable global climate, deploying two aircraft to douse the fires and authorising the army to help tackle the blazes. Speaking in Biarritz, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said new planting was needed "to preserve this universal heritage, which is absolutely essential for the well-being of the world's population." He said that the issue would be discussed during the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

G7 pledges millions to help fight Amazon fires

Brazilian&nbsp;warplanes&nbsp;are&nbsp;dumping&nbsp;water&nbsp;on the burning forest in the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;state of Rondonia, responding to a global outcry over the destruction of the world's largest tropical rain forest.

As of Sunday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-amazon-burns-brazils-jair-bolsonaro-tells-rest-of-world-not-to-interfere-244909">President Jair Bolsonaro</a> had authorized&nbsp;military&nbsp;operations in seven states to combat raging&nbsp;fires&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Amazon, responding to requests for assistance from their local governments, a spokeswoman for his office said.

Reuters accompanied a firefighting&nbsp;brigade near the state capital of Porto Velho, where there were areas larger than football fields that had been charred, but active&nbsp;fires&nbsp;were contained to small areas of individual trees.

The dozen or so yellow-clad firefighters from environmental enforcement agency Ibama easily cleared brush from around a burning stump with a leaf blower, doused it with jets connected to&nbsp;water&nbsp;packs mounted on their backs and covered it in the earth.

A video posted by the Defense Ministry on Saturday evening showed a&nbsp;military&nbsp;plane pumping thousands of litres (thousands of gallons) of&nbsp;water&nbsp;out of two giant jets as it passed through clouds of smoke close to the forest canopy.

The response comes as leaders of countries in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-march-near-biarritz-demanding-action-from-g7-leaders-245340">Group of Seven (G7)</a> nations currently meeting in France expressed grave concerns over the&nbsp;fires.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said the G7 was nearing a deal to provide "technical and financial help" to countries affected by the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;fires.

Nearly 80,000&nbsp;fires&nbsp;have been registered across&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;through August 24, the highest since at least 2013, according to space research agency INPE.

Bolsonaro announced the&nbsp;military&nbsp;would be sent in on Friday after several days of criticism from the public and world leaders that&nbsp;Brazil's government was not doing anything to fight the&nbsp;fires.

He also said on Twitter he had accepted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's offer of a plane and specialized support for the firefighting&nbsp;operations, following a call between the two leaders.

But outside of Rondonia, the government had yet to provide any operational details for other states.

The Defense Ministry said in a briefing on Saturday that 44,000 troops were available in&nbsp;Brazil's northern&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;region but did not say how many would be used where and what they would do.

Military&nbsp;personnel around Porto Velho appeared to be largely coordinating firefighting&nbsp;efforts, according to a Reuters witness.

Asked for additional details, the Defense Ministry told Reuters in a statement that in all seven states that have asked for help, the&nbsp;military&nbsp;is planning operations to support firefighting initiatives already underway.

Justice Minister Sergio Moro had also authorized a force of&nbsp;military&nbsp;police to assist in&nbsp;fighting&nbsp;the&nbsp;fires, with 30 sets to be sent from Brasilia to Porto Velho.

The president's office posted to Twitter a photo of police officers on a plane bound for Rondonia set to arrive at noon.

Environment Minister Ricardo Salles posted a video showing a caravan of yellow fire prevention trucks and other government vehicles, saying they were on the ground responding in Rondonia.

Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Sunday he would seek a conservation pact with other&nbsp;Amazonian countries - first in bi-lateral meetings in Peru this week and then at the United Nations General Assembly.

"Colombia wants to lead a pact, a conservation pact, between the countries that have&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;territory," Duque said after meeting with an indigenous community in the&nbsp;Amazonian city of Leticia in southern Colombia.

"We must understand the protection of our Mother Earth and our&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;is a duty, a moral duty."

The&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;is the world's largest tropical rain forest and is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide than it absorbs.

The&nbsp;Amazon, which provides 20 per cent of the planet's oxygen, is home to an estimated one million indigenous people from up to 500 tribes as well some three million species of plants and animals, including jaguars, sloths, giant otters, river dolphins, howler monkeys, toucans, reptiles, frogs and insects.

Brazilian climate scientist Carlos Nobre said he worries if 20-25 per cent of the ecosystem is destroyed that the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;could reach a tipping point, after which it would enter a self-sustaining period of dieback as the forest converts to savannah.&nbsp;

Nobre warned that it is not far off with already 15-17 per cent of the rain forest having been destroyed.

Brazilian warplanes are dumping water on the burning forest in the Amazon state of Rondonia, responding to a global outcry over the destruction of the world's largest tropical rain forest.

Brazilian warplanes are dumping water on the burning forest in the Amazon state of Rondonia, responding to a global outcry over the destruction of the world's largest tropical rain forest. As of Sunday, President Jair Bolsonaro had authorized military operations in seven states to combat raging fires in the Amazon, responding to requests for assistance from their local governments, a spokeswoman for his office said. Reuters accompanied a firefighting brigade near the state capital of Porto Velho, where there were areas larger than football fields that had been charred, but active fires were contained to small areas of individual trees. The dozen or so yellow-clad firefighters from environmental enforcement agency Ibama easily cleared brush from around a burning stump with a leaf blower, doused it with jets connected to water packs mounted on their backs and covered it in the earth. A video posted by the Defense Ministry on Saturday evening showed a military plane pumping thousands of litres (thousands of gallons) of water out of two giant jets as it passed through clouds of smoke close to the forest canopy. The response comes as leaders of countries in the Group of Seven (G7) nations currently meeting in France expressed grave concerns over the fires. French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said the G7 was nearing a deal to provide "technical and financial help" to countries affected by the Amazon fires. Nearly 80,000 fires have been registered across Brazil through August 24, the highest since at least 2013, according to space research agency INPE. Bolsonaro announced the military would be sent in on Friday after several days of criticism from the public and world leaders that Brazil's government was not doing anything to fight the fires. He also said on Twitter he had accepted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's offer of a plane and specialized support for the firefighting operations, following a call between the two leaders. But outside of Rondonia, the government had yet to provide any operational details for other states. The Defense Ministry said in a briefing on Saturday that 44,000 troops were available in Brazil's northern Amazon region but did not say how many would be used where and what they would do. Military personnel around Porto Velho appeared to be largely coordinating firefighting efforts, according to a Reuters witness. Asked for additional details, the Defense Ministry told Reuters in a statement that in all seven states that have asked for help, the military is planning operations to support firefighting initiatives already underway. Justice Minister Sergio Moro had also authorized a force of military police to assist in fighting the fires, with 30 sets to be sent from Brasilia to Porto Velho. The president's office posted to Twitter a photo of police officers on a plane bound for Rondonia set to arrive at noon. Environment Minister Ricardo Salles posted a video showing a caravan of yellow fire prevention trucks and other government vehicles, saying they were on the ground responding in Rondonia. Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Sunday he would seek a conservation pact with other Amazonian countries - first in bi-lateral meetings in Peru this week and then at the United Nations General Assembly. "Colombia wants to lead a pact, a conservation pact, between the countries that have Amazon territory," Duque said after meeting with an indigenous community in the Amazonian city of Leticia in southern Colombia. "We must understand the protection of our Mother Earth and our Amazon is a duty, a moral duty." The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rain forest and is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide than it absorbs. The Amazon, which provides 20 per cent of the planet's oxygen, is home to an estimated one million indigenous people from up to 500 tribes as well some three million species of plants and animals, including jaguars, sloths, giant otters, river dolphins, howler monkeys, toucans, reptiles, frogs and insects. Brazilian climate scientist Carlos Nobre said he worries if 20-25 per cent of the ecosystem is destroyed that the Amazon could reach a tipping point, after which it would enter a self-sustaining period of dieback as the forest converts to savannah. Nobre warned that it is not far off with already 15-17 per cent of the rain forest having been destroyed.

Warplanes dump water on Amazon as Brazil military begins fighting fires

Brazil on Sunday deployed two Hercules C-130 aircraft to douse fires devouring parts of the Amazon rainforest, as hundreds of new blazes were ignited ahead of nationwide protests over the destruction.

Brazil on Sunday deployed two Hercules C-130 aircraft to douse fires devouring parts of the Amazon rainforest, as hundreds of new blazes were ignited ahead of nationwide protests over the destruction. Heavy smoke covered the city of Porto Velho in the northwestern state of Rondonia where the defence ministry said the planes have started dumping thousands of litres of water, amid a global uproar over the worst fires in years. Swathes of the remote region bordering Bolivia have been scorched by the blazes, sending thick smoke billowing into the sky and increasing air pollution across the world's largest rainforest. Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing has aggravated the problem this year. "It gets worse every year this year, the smoke has been really serious," Deliana Amorim, 46, told AFP in Porto Velho where half a million people live. At least seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officials said. The fires have triggered a global outcry and are a major topic of concern at the G7 meeting in Biarritz in southern France. World leaders at the summit have agreed to help the countries affected by the fires "as fast as possible," French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday. His remarks come amid an escalating war of words with his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro, who he has accused of lying over Brazil's stance on climate change. Bolsonaro has denounced what he calls Macron's "colonialist mentality." Trade deal at risk The fires threaten to torpedo a huge trade agreement between the European Union and South American countries, including Brazil, that took 20 years to negotiate. Pope Francis on Sunday also voiced concern for the rainforest, which he described as a "vital" lung for the planet. The latest official figures show 79,513 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013. More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,130 new fires were ignited between Friday and Saturday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The new data come as protesters plan to take to the streets across Brazil on Sunday after thousands held demonstrations in the country and Europe on Friday.

Brazil's army fights Amazon fires after hundreds of new blazes ignite

Pope Francis on Sunday called for a global commitment to put out the fires in the Amazon, saying the area was essential for the health of the planet.

"We are all worried about the vast fires that have developed in the Amazon. Let us pray so that with the commitment of all, they can be put out soon. That lung of forests is vital for our planet," he told thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for his weekly address.

The Amazon is the world's largest <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-new-fires-in-brazil-as-outrage-over-amazon-grows-245400">tropical rainforest</a> and its protection is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Meanwhile, official data showed on Saturday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-states-ask-for-military-help-as-amazon-fires-rage-245444">hundreds of new fires</a> are raging in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil as thousands of troops were made available to help fight the worst blazes in years following a global outcry.&nbsp;

Multiple fires billowing huge plumes of smoke into the air were seen across a vast area of the northwestern state of Rondonia on Friday when AFP journalists flew over the area.&nbsp;

Official figures show 78,383 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013. Experts say the clearing of land during the monthslong dry season to make way for crops or grazing, has aggravated the problem.&nbsp;

More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,663 new fires were ignited between Thursday and Friday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE).&nbsp;

Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officials said. Firefighters and planes are also being deployed.&nbsp;

Six aircraft, including two Hercules C-130s equipped to carry 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water each, have been sent to Rondonia to fight the fires. They are expected to be joined by 30 firefighters on Sunday.

Pope Francis on Sunday called for a global commitment to put out the fires in the Amazon, saying the area was essential for the health of the planet. "We are all worried about the vast fires that have developed in the Amazon.

Pope Francis on Sunday called for a global commitment to put out the fires in the Amazon, saying the area was essential for the health of the planet. "We are all worried about the vast fires that have developed in the Amazon. Let us pray so that with the commitment of all, they can be put out soon. That lung of forests is vital for our planet," he told thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for his weekly address. The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and its protection is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs. Meanwhile, official data showed on Saturday that hundreds of new fires are raging in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil as thousands of troops were made available to help fight the worst blazes in years following a global outcry. Multiple fires billowing huge plumes of smoke into the air were seen across a vast area of the northwestern state of Rondonia on Friday when AFP journalists flew over the area. Official figures show 78,383 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013. Experts say the clearing of land during the monthslong dry season to make way for crops or grazing, has aggravated the problem. More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,663 new fires were ignited between Thursday and Friday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officials said. Firefighters and planes are also being deployed. Six aircraft, including two Hercules C-130s equipped to carry 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water each, have been sent to Rondonia to fight the fires. They are expected to be joined by 30 firefighters on Sunday.

Pope calls for global commitment to put out Amazon fires

Six states in Brazil's Amazon region requested military help on Saturday to combat record fires that are tearing through the rainforest, provoking an international outcry because of the Amazon's central role in combating global warming.

The states of Para, Rondonia, Roraima, Tocantins, Acre and Mato Grosso - out of the region's nine - have requested military assistance, according to a spokeswoman for the president's office, a day after President Jair Bolsonaro authorized the military to step in. 
&nbsp; 
The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and its protection is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Brazil has 44,000 troops stationed in its northern Amazon region that are available to combat forest fires and could send more from elsewhere in the country, said Raul Botelho, the joint chief of staff for the country's military.

In a briefing with reporters, Botelho and other officials did not say how many troops would be involved and gave few operational details of how they would be used and where.

Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo said forces would be concentrated in certain areas depending on the individual mission.&nbsp;

For example, in Porto Velho in Rondonia state, two planes would be made available that can carry 12,000 litres of water mixed with fire retardant, as well as an infantry brigade, river patrol forces and the local office of the Defense Ministry's Amazon monitoring unit, he said.

On Saturday, fewer than 50 personnel will be sent from Brasilia to Porto Velho in Rondonia state to support operations there, including 30 firefighters and 18 communications specialists, Botelho said.

Alfredo Sirkis, executive director of think tank Brazil Climate Center and a founder of Brazil's Green Party, said while he supported military involvement, he doubted that anyone would be able to put out the existing fires.

"Once you have a huge forest fire like that, especially when you don`t have all the kind of forest fire-fighting equipment that you have in places like the US or Portugal, it`s difficult to extinguish," he said.&nbsp;

"They'll only be extinguished by themselves depending on the weather conditions."

The military can help to prevent additional forest fires by enforcing environmental laws and stopping people from setting the fires, Sirkis said.&nbsp;

Environmentalists have said that farmers clearing land for pasture were responsible for the uptick in fires.&nbsp;

Similarly, Sirkis blamed the fires on speculators seeking to clear the land they hope to later sell for farming, saying they have been emboldened by Bolsonaro's strong rhetoric in favour of the development of the Amazon region.

Bolsonaro enraged critics on Wednesday when he accused non-governmental organizations of burning down the Amazon rainforest to hurt his government.&nbsp;

But on Thursday he admitted for the first time that farmers might be involved in lighting fires in the region.

Six states in Brazil's Amazon region requested military help on Saturday to combat record fires that are tearing through the rainforest, provoking an international outcry because of the Amazon's central role in combating global warming.

Six states in Brazil's Amazon region requested military help on Saturday to combat record fires that are tearing through the rainforest, provoking an international outcry because of the Amazon's central role in combating global warming. The states of Para, Rondonia, Roraima, Tocantins, Acre and Mato Grosso - out of the region's nine - have requested military assistance, according to a spokeswoman for the president's office, a day after President Jair Bolsonaro authorized the military to step in. The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and its protection is seen as vital to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs. Brazil has 44,000 troops stationed in its northern Amazon region that are available to combat forest fires and could send more from elsewhere in the country, said Raul Botelho, the joint chief of staff for the country's military. In a briefing with reporters, Botelho and other officials did not say how many troops would be involved and gave few operational details of how they would be used and where. Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo said forces would be concentrated in certain areas depending on the individual mission. For example, in Porto Velho in Rondonia state, two planes would be made available that can carry 12,000 litres of water mixed with fire retardant, as well as an infantry brigade, river patrol forces and the local office of the Defense Ministry's Amazon monitoring unit, he said. On Saturday, fewer than 50 personnel will be sent from Brasilia to Porto Velho in Rondonia state to support operations there, including 30 firefighters and 18 communications specialists, Botelho said. Alfredo Sirkis, executive director of think tank Brazil Climate Center and a founder of Brazil's Green Party, said while he supported military involvement, he doubted that anyone would be able to put out the existing fires. "Once you have a huge forest fire like that, especially when you don`t have all the kind of forest fire-fighting equipment that you have in places like the US or Portugal, it`s difficult to extinguish," he said. "They'll only be extinguished by themselves depending on the weather conditions." The military can help to prevent additional forest fires by enforcing environmental laws and stopping people from setting the fires, Sirkis said. Environmentalists have said that farmers clearing land for pasture were responsible for the uptick in fires. Similarly, Sirkis blamed the fires on speculators seeking to clear the land they hope to later sell for farming, saying they have been emboldened by Bolsonaro's strong rhetoric in favour of the development of the Amazon region. Bolsonaro enraged critics on Wednesday when he accused non-governmental organizations of burning down the Amazon rainforest to hurt his government. But on Thursday he admitted for the first time that farmers might be involved in lighting fires in the region.

Brazilian states ask for military help as Amazon fires rage

The Amazon needs better management to end the "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-rainforest-fires-our-house-is-on-fire-says-macron-ahead-of-g7-summit-244910">ecocide" that is going on in the rainforest</a>, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday ahead of a G7 summit at the weekend.

As forest fires rage in Brazil, Macron told French news website Konbini that the issue would be discussed at the meeting of world leaders this weekend in Biarritz.

"The Amazon is burning and this is an issue that concerns the entire world, because it is a source of biodiversity," Macron said.

"We have a real ecocide that is developing everywhere in the Amazon and not only in Brazil," he added.

Continuing a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaro-vows-to-fight-illegal-deforestation-in-brazil-240639">clash with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro</a>, he criticised Brazil's management of the Amazon.

"We need to find good governance of the Amazon. This means we need to involve NGOs and local populations much more than we do now, and we need to stop the industrial deforestation that is going on everywhere," he said

In a tweet on Thursday, Macron had said the fires are "an international crisis" as the Amazon forests are the lungs of the planet, producing 20 per cent&nbsp;&nbsp;of its oxygen.

"People forget, the Brazilian president forgets, but France is in the Amazon. France's biggest exterior border is between Guiana and Brazil, so we are there," he added, referring to the French overseas territory on the northern coast of South America.

Macron said that at the G7 he would try to mobilise world leaders to raise financing to reforest the area as soon as possible and to develop mechanisms to prevent forest fires.

Earlier on Friday, Macron's office said in a statement that France would oppose the EU-Mercosur farming deal between the European Union and Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay because Bolsonaro was lying when he played down concerns about climate change at a G20 summit in Japan in June.

On Thursday, Bolsonaro angrily dismissed as meddling Macron's concerns about the wildfires.

The Amazon needs better management to end the "ecocide" that is going on in the rainforest, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday ahead of a G7 summit at the weekend.

The Amazon needs better management to end the "ecocide" that is going on in the rainforest, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday ahead of a G7 summit at the weekend. As forest fires rage in Brazil, Macron told French news website Konbini that the issue would be discussed at the meeting of world leaders this weekend in Biarritz. "The Amazon is burning and this is an issue that concerns the entire world, because it is a source of biodiversity," Macron said. "We have a real ecocide that is developing everywhere in the Amazon and not only in Brazil," he added. Continuing a clash with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, he criticised Brazil's management of the Amazon. "We need to find good governance of the Amazon. This means we need to involve NGOs and local populations much more than we do now, and we need to stop the industrial deforestation that is going on everywhere," he said In a tweet on Thursday, Macron had said the fires are "an international crisis" as the Amazon forests are the lungs of the planet, producing 20 per cent of its oxygen. "People forget, the Brazilian president forgets, but France is in the Amazon. France's biggest exterior border is between Guiana and Brazil, so we are there," he added, referring to the French overseas territory on the northern coast of South America. Macron said that at the G7 he would try to mobilise world leaders to raise financing to reforest the area as soon as possible and to develop mechanisms to prevent forest fires. Earlier on Friday, Macron's office said in a statement that France would oppose the EU-Mercosur farming deal between the European Union and Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay because Bolsonaro was lying when he played down concerns about climate change at a G20 summit in Japan in June. On Thursday, Bolsonaro angrily dismissed as meddling Macron's concerns about the wildfires.

France's Emmanuel Macron says real 'ecocide' going on in Amazon

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