Brazil's Amazon rainforest experienced its largest fires on record in the first four months of the year.
More than 12,000 square kilometers burned between January and April, the most in over two decades of data.
Government Spending and Blame:
The environmental workers union, Ascema, partially blames lower government spending on firefighting for the fires.
This year's budget for the environmental agency Ibama to fight fires is 24% lower than in 2023.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva aims to protect the Amazon rainforest and restore Brazil as a leader in climate policy.
Importance of the Amazon:
The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, is crucial for curbing global warming due to the vast amount of greenhouse gases it absorbs.
Contributing Factorsc of forest fire:
A record drought driven by the El Nino climate phenomenon and global warming has created dry conditions fueling the fires.
Fires in the Amazon are generally ignited by people seeking to clear land for agriculture.
Firefighting Efforts and Challenges:
The Amazon fund, with donations from foreign governments, allocated 405 million reais ($79.4 million) for state-level firefighting under Lula's administration.
The federal government deployed about 380 firefighters to Roraima, the hardest-hit state.
Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama's) firefighting budget cuts have been significant, with no immediate response from the agency or the environment ministry regarding these cuts.
Ibama agents have suspended fieldwork since January, seeking better pay and working conditions.
Ascema has rejected the latest government offer and demands larger salary increases after over a decade of minimal increases and staff reductions.
While the area burned is a record for the first four months, it is still less than what typically burns during the peak dry season from August to November.
Preventive Measures:
Ascema President Cleberson Zavaski emphasized the need for total engagement from environmental workers to avoid an unprecedented catastrophe.
Manoela Machado, a fire researcher, highlighted the importance of prevention efforts, such as raising awareness about ignitions, creating firebreaks, and conducting prescribed burns, which depend on employing people with stable conditions.
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