Brazil deploys 1,500 firefighters to tackle Amazon wildfires amidst severe drought

Despite decreased Amazon deforestation under the watch of President Lula da Silva, Brazilian forests have seen a drastic rise in wildfires since the start of the year. The situation was exacerbated after drought-like conditions emerged in the rainforests. Over the past eight months, there have been more than 59,000 incidents of wildfires, the highest since 2008. This has led to the deployment of almost 1,500 firefighters to the Amazon, the government said Wednesday (Aug 21).

The Brazilian city of Porto Velho has been one of the most affected areas, where 540,000 residents are forced to breathe smoke, triggering medical concerns.

Meanwhile, the country’s Environment Minister Marina Silva has blamed human-made climate change for the worsened situation.

“We have seen a worsening of climate change. We had a period of El Niño, changes in the temperature of different regions, warming of the oceans, a series of issues that are aggravating the problems,” Silvasaid.

The environmentminister’s claims are not unfounded. According to a study by international scientists, there have already been devastating fires in another of Brazil’s great biomes, the Pantanal wetlands, which were made at least four times more likely and 40 per centmore intense by human-caused climate disruption.

The wild blaze has affected ten Brazilian states in total. The governors of Pará, Amapá, Roraima, Rondônia and Acre have been asked to decree a ban on the use of fire, which is often set by farmers to clear land.

Amazon basin is facing the worst decade in two years. The National Water and Sanitation Agency had earlier declared that the Madeira and Purus rivers were facing increased water scarcity. Theregion has alsowitnessed low rainfall since last year.

A recent study warned that a third of the Amazon rainforest was struggling to recover from drought.

(With inputs from agencies)