Amazon: Forest fires up 65% in 2016

The National Space Research Institute (INPE) registered over 53 thousand forest fires in the country up to Friday (Aug. 5), and warns that the hot, dry weather may make things worse, in case law enforcement efforts are not increased.

Figures from the Forest Fire Monitoring Program reveal a 65% expansion in the number of fires in the country this year compared to the same period in 2015.

According to INPE, the fire season in Brazil is still in its early phase, with its peak forecast to occur in September. For this reason, the population is recommended not to set fire to vegetation in this time of year, as human action, coupled with the hot, dry weather, is among the main causes of forest fires.

The situation in Acre state, north Brazil, is considered critical. A total 844 fires were observed—three times as many as in 2015. In the neighboring state of Amazonas, the figure added up to 3,022, up 284% from last year.

The Work Group for Seasonal Climate Forecast, of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, made estimates for the months of August, September, and October, and predict the aggravation of the drought in the southeast of the Amazon, most notably in Acre.

The climate may bring the level of water in the Acre river somewhere between 1.20m and 1.30m—a record low. If that proves to be the case, navigation on the river will be impacted, and the feeding of riverside communities with supplies compromised.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira