PORTO VELHO,Brazil: Brazil yesterday deployed two C-130 Hercules aircraft to douse firesdevouring parts of the Amazon rainforest, as hundreds of new blazes wereignited ahead of nationwide protests over the destruction. Heavy smoke coveredthe city of Porto Velho in the northwestern state of Rondonia where the defenseministry said the planes have started dumping thousands of liters of water,amid a global uproar over the worst fires in years.
Swathes of theremote region bordering Bolivia have been scorched by the blazes, sending thicksmoke billowing into the sky and increasing air pollution across the world'slargest rainforest, which is seen as crucial to mitigating climate change.Experts say increased land clearing during the months-long dry season to makeway for crops or grazing has aggravated the problem this year. "It getsworse every year - this year, the smoke has been really serious," DelianaAmorim, 46, told AFP in Porto Velho where half a million people live.
At least sevenstates, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, wheremore than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officialssaid. Dozens of firefighters are en route to Porto Velho to help put out theblazes. Justice Minister Sergio Moro has also given the green light for thedeployment of security forces to tackle illegal deforestation in the region.The fires have triggered a global outcry and are a major topic of concern atthe G7 meeting in Biarritz in southern France.
World leaders atthe summit have agreed to help the countries affected by the fires "asfast as possible", French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday. USPresident Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had earlieroffered their countries' assistance. Bolivian President Evo Morales said Sundayhe would accept international help to combat wildfires raging in the country'ssoutheast as he suspended his election campaign to deal with the crisis.
Although about 60percent of the Amazon is in Brazil, the vast forest also spreads over parts ofeight other countries or territories: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, FrenchGuiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Macron's remarks come amid anescalating war of words with his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro, who hehas accused of lying over Brazil's stance on climate change. Bolsonaro hasdenounced what he calls Macron's "colonialist mentality".
The firesthreaten to torpedo a huge trade agreement between the European Union and SouthAmerican countries, including Brazil, that took 20 years to negotiate. EUCouncil president Donald Tusk told reporters at the G7 on Saturday that it washard to imagine European countries ratifying a trade pact with the Mercosurbloc as long as Brazil fails to curb the fires ravaging the Amazon. PopeFrancis on Sunday also voiced concern for the rainforest, which he described asa "vital" lung for the planet.
Underintensifying pressure, Bolsonaro on Friday vowed a "zero tolerance"approach to criminal activities in the Amazon and promised strong action tocontrol the fires. Days earlier, he had accused non-government organizations ofigniting the blazes. "There are forest fires all over the world, and thiscannot be used as a pretext for possible international sanctions,"Bolsonaro said. The latest official figures show 79,513 forest fires have beenrecorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013.
More than half ofthe fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million peoplelive. Some 1,130 new fires were ignited between Friday and Saturday, accordingto Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The new data come asprotesters plan to take to the streets across Brazil on Sunday, after thousandsheld demonstrations in the country and in Europe on Friday. - AFP