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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reacts to national and international pressure: he signed a decree banning agricultural burns throughout Brazil for sixty days. A measure designed to slow the spread of fires in the Amazon.
The decree, to be published Thursday in the Official Journal, suspends the use of burns during the next two months throughout the country, while maintaining certain exceptions, according to government sources cited by the Brazilian media. The forest code authorizes certain burns with the authorization of the control organisms.
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Jair Bolsonaro faces increasing pressure, both inside and abroad, after the spread of fires in the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest. The latter are far from being " under control ", contrary to the government's assertions: 1,044 new fire starts were recorded on Tuesday, August 27 throughout Brazil, including more than 50% in the Amazon, said Wednesday. National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
3,900 people deployed
The number of fires since January in the country is the highest since 2010, according to the INPE. They are often caused by farmers or cattle ranchers who want more land and the current government policy encourages.
The government has deployed more than 3,900 people, hundreds of vehicles and 18 aircraft, including two Hercules water bombers, according to Ministry of Defense data quoted by local media.