For more than a week, a cover of smoke in the sky around the Brazilian state of Rondonia has drawn the attention of residents and visitors. Fires have increased significantly in the local forests. One of the hardest hit regions is between Porto Velho and Cacoal.
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| Smoke over Rondonia |
The situation in Rondonia resembles that of other regions of the country. According to the National Institute of Space Research, fires in Brazil increased 85 percent in 2010. The research was based on the time period from January 1 through August 12. A
recent article published by
Folha de São Paulo, one of the most recognized newspapers in Brazil cited that 25,999 fires occurred during this period compared to 14,019 in 2009. Studies conducted by researchers from the Institute of Physics of São Paulo´s University (USP), and financed by Fapesp, found that the air quality in the Amazon during this period, due to fires, is worse than the air of São Paulo.
The states of Brazil with the largest number of fires were Mato Grosso (6,693); Tocantins (4,210); Pará (2,526); and Bahia (2,020). In 2010, Mato Grosso has experienced a 91percent increase in fires.
For over a decade,
ACT has been pointing out the clear and unbreakable link between healthy forest and human health. In the southwest Amazon, the destruction of the forest has brought drought, fires, airport closures, economic costs and human misery.
Frederico Schlottfeldt
ACT Brazil
Communications Coordinator
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