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A satellite image shows the smoke rising from Amazonian wildfires in the state of Rondonia on August 15, 2019. Satellite image © 2019 Maxar Technologies / via REU

For nearly 3 weeks, part of the Amazon has been affected by gigantic fires. Impressive images of burning trees. In recent hours, the situation is getting worse. President Jair Bolsonaro, much criticized, could decide to send the army on the spot to try to reduce the fire starts. Several regions are severely affected. What are the areas most affected today by these fires?

With our correspondent in Rio de Janeiro, François Cardona

The fires are ravaging two huge areas, that of Rondonia in the north, on the border with Bolivia and the Mato Grosso, the country's agricultural stronghold. On site firefighters are few compared to the number of fire starts. Sometimes only a few dozen to cover thousands of hectares.

In the Amazon, fires have caused large clouds of smoke that impede air traffic, and even those of boats on the rivers.

Newspapers and televisions are all about the management of this drama by Jair Bolsonaro. Some fear that the G7 summit could be devastating for the president and isolate him on the international stage.

Faced with the scale of the crisis, Jair Bolsonaro put forward the idea of ​​appealing to the army, so that the military can help firefighters. Jair Bolsonaro should speak on television to announce the emergency measures he intends to take.

In the face of international outcry , the president has become the target of criticism from the highly influential agribusiness sector, which fears retaliatory measures against beef and grain exports by European countries.

► To read also: #PrayforAmazonas: Brazilians between nausea and anger at fires