Journalism of Courage
Brazil has seen a record number of wildfires this year, counting 74,155 as of Tuesday, an 84 pe rcent increase compared to the same period last year. Bolsonaro took office on January 1. (Reuters)
The government is also facing international pressure to protect the vast rainforest from illegal logging or mining activities. (Reuters)
The Amazon is often referred to as the lungs of our planet because it is a major absorber of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. (Reuters)
The states that have been most affected by fires this year are Mato Grosso, Para and Amazonas all in the Amazon region accounting for 41.7 percent of all fires. (Reuters)
The unprecedented surge in wildfires has occurred since Jair Bolsonaro took office in January vowing to develop the Amazon region for farming and mining, ignoring international concern over increased deforestation. (Reuters)
