devastating forest fires in early September

The Nationwide Institute for Area Analysis (INPE) recognized 12,133 fires within the Amazon from September 1 to 4, greater than 70% of the determine recorded for the entire month final 12 months.

In September 2021, 16,742 forest fires had been recorded, a determine a lot decrease than the typical of 32,110 fires for this month of the 12 months since 1998, when the INPE started to gather this knowledge.

One of many worst months in historical past

However the figures recorded over the previous 4 days are nonetheless worrying: if the typical of greater than 3,000 households per day continues, this month of September may very well be one of many worst in historical past.

In August, the variety of forest fires within the Amazon elevated by 18% in comparison with final 12 months, with a minimum of 33,116 outbreaks, the very best degree since 2010.

Criminals inspired by the federal government

For the NGO collective Observatoire du Climat, the Amazon “is beneath assault from criminals who, inspired by the federal government, are inflicting the best wave of forest destruction in almost 20 years”.

Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who’s aiming for re-election in lower than a month, is accused by environmentalists of neglecting the preservation of the Amazon in favor of agriculture and mining actions.

“At the present time within the Amazon would be the final beneath Bolsonaro or the final in any respect,” mentioned the Local weather Observatory in a press launch.

Deforestation up 75%

For the reason that populist got here to energy in January 2019, the typical annual deforestation within the Amazon in Brazil has elevated by 75% in comparison with the earlier decade.

The pinnacle of state, who’s left behind by the left-wing ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the October 2 poll, brushes apart criticism: in response to him, Brazil “preserves its forests a lot better than Europe” .