Brazil’s army has taken control of firefighting in the northern Amazon where spreading forest blazes are threatening serious environmental damage.
Satellites have detected hundreds of fires in the state of Roraima caused by farmers burning their land before sowing. Although fires are a normal feature at this time of year, the dry weather and winds have made them get out of control.
The government’s environmental agency Ibama has said up to 200 specialist firefighters are arriving in the area, bringing the total manpower mobilised to about 850. The government is committing about US$600,000 towards the fight.
