What is in the decree?
Prosecutors have been investigating allegations that some of the fires were triggered by the illegal clearing of land and the decree now bans setting fires for this purpose across the entire country. It allows three exceptions: when fires are authorised by environmental authorities for reasons relating to plant health; as a preventative measure to fight wildfires; and as part of traditional subsistence agriculture practised by indigenous people.Why could 'the worst be yet to come'?
Writing in O Globo newspaper, Tasso Azevedo - who runs the deforestation monitoring group Mapbiomas - said those clearing the forest would cut down trees and vegetation before leaving it for a few weeks until it is drier and easier to set fire to. The current fires were the result of forest clearing in April, May and June, he wrote, but the rate of clearing in July and August jumped sharply, suggesting that there was a lot of combustible fuel on the ground waiting to be ignited. Trees are illegally felled and then left to dry before being set alight Mr Azevedo called for a ban on the use of fire in the Amazon region until the end of the dry season in November. He also called for urgent action to end deforestation, which he said was largely illegal and linked to criminal groups involved in timber theft, gold mining and land grabbing. "What we are experiencing is a real crisis, which can turn into a tragedy that will feature fires much larger than the current ones if not stopped immediately," he said.What else is Brazil doing?
Mr Bolsonaro has accepted Chile's offer of four planes to fight the fires, the most in Brazil since 2010 - but he has refused a G7 offer of $22m (£18m) following a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron. The government says it has deployed 44,000 soldiers to seven states to combat the fires. That came after Mr Bolsonaro last week said the authorities did not have the resources to fight the blazes. The rate of tree-cutting jumped sharply in July and August, environmentalists say The justice ministry says that federal police officers would be sent to the fire zones to assist other state agencies in combating "illegal deforestation". On Monday Brazil's Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva told local media that the situation was "not simple, but it is under control and cooling down nicely". Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is jail following corruption convictions, accused Mr Bolsonaro of "causing tremendous evil to Brazilian people".DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
Fighting Malaria: Volta Region achieves 98% target in treated net distribution
2 mins -
You have a special role in shaping our elections – Akufo-Addo to Ghanaian workers
29 mins -
ECG staff walkout during Ashanti Regional Minister’s speech at May Day event
47 mins -
Seventy percent of SMEs productivity lost to power crises in Central Region
56 mins -
We commend Bawumia for waking others up to come home and develop – Savannah NPP chair
60 mins -
SML-GRA contract – Legal Practitioner counters KPMG findings on parliamentary ratification
1 hour -
Do something about dumsor now – TUC tells Akufo-Addo at May Day event
1 hour -
Viewing Economics from a female lens: Legacy of Ghana’s first female Professor of Econs
1 hour -
Vaccines are safe, get your children immunized against killer diseases – Ghana Health Service
1 hour -
Glovo, five other multinational brands, and why they left Ghana
1 hour -
Narcotics Control Commission seizes 20.5kg of cannabis
2 hours -
One suspect arrested over killing of military officer at Kasoa
2 hours -
Maritime Security Threats: Global collaboration, commitment needed to overcome risks – Akufo-Addo
2 hours -
AWUSCO develops 6-year Scientific Strategic Plan towards digital transformation
2 hours -
May Day: I’m prepared to work with you again to meet Ghana’s needs – Mahama assures workers
2 hours