Wildfires currently raging throughout the Amazon forest, which purportedly started in Brazil and Bolivia, were said to be human-lit. Although drawing the much needed global attention, the results of the ongoing Amazon fire has raised concerns that the Amazon’s entire ecosystem could collapse.
Researchers and environmental organizations have reported that this year, nearly 73,000 fires have been uncovered in numerous states across Brazil, marking an 83% increase from the highest number of forest fires recorded since 2013.
Previous forest clearing activities carried out by Brazilian cattle ranchers, loggers and farmers saw wildfires blazing in the Brazilian rainforest set by cattle ranchers and loggers to utilize Amazon. They pose as pieces of proof that the raging wildfire currently engulfing the Amazon was started by self-serving humans.
The Program Director of Amazon Watch, Christian Poirier, asserts that
“Even during dry seasons, the Amazon, unlike the dry bushland in California or Australia, is a humid rainforest that does not catch on fire easily.”
News network CNN’s meteorologist Haley Brink support claims that the fires in the Amazon forest were human-induced, and cannot be attributed to natural phenomena like lightning strikes.
Although Brazil’s environmental minister, Ricardo Salles, tweeted that the Amazon fires were caused by dry weather, heat and wind, the country’s space research center INPE, through its senior scientist, Alberto Setzer at INPE reported that 99% percent of the forest fires in Brazil were results of human actions, either deliberately or started by accident. In fact the INPE monitored an 80% increase in the number of fires from last year’s number of detected forest fires in Brazil.
Rampant Clearing of Forest Areas via Burning Methods Encouraged by Brazil’s Pro-Business President
Brazil has laws to preserve the Amazon jungle and the Braziian government had used those laws to impose measures that curbed deforestation before. Presently, however, it will require renewed public pressure from Brazilians to impose those laws again.
Brazilian ranchers and farmers have long used burning methods to clear forest areas for their business interests. Techniquest that have the support of the incumbent President, Jair Bolsonaro, through the issuance of burning license.
In fact, only after receiving tremendous pressures coming from across the globe, did Bolsonaro order a burning ban for 60 days as a measure to prevent the Amazon forest fire from spreading any further than it already has. Indicating that after the 60-day ban, those who have vested interests in clearing out the Amazon region can go back to their burning activities.
In fact, 500 or more environmental workers of the Brazilian environmental agency IBAMA, have signed a manifest stating there is lack of government support in preventing environmental crimes in the Amazon. Even if some observes Bolsonaro’s 60-day burning ban, Rodrigo Junqueira of the Socio-Environmental Institute in Brazil said obedience to the ban cannot be expected from the illegals who do not hold a burning license.