Worries Grow as Brazil's Forest Fire Season Starts
2021-08-10
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1A continuing lack of rain in parts of Brazil has officials and experts concerned that forest fires will again be a problem this year.
2In Brazil, forest fire season is coming.
3The government space agency uses satellites to observe fires.
4It reported recently that more areas burned in July of this year than in any July since 2016.
5Most Brazilian fires are caused by humans.
6They are often started by companies or people claiming land as their own.
7They burn down and clear trees to raise cattle or grow crops.
8Historical records show that fires usually start increasing in June and reach their highest numbers in September.
9Fires can easily get out of control during the dry season, burning large areas of forest.
10Brazil is home to the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest.
11It also is home to wetlands known as the Pantanal, also the world's largest wetlands.
12Both had many fires in 2019 and 2020 that caused the most forest loss in years.
13That led to criticism of the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro.
14He has repeatedly called for development in the Amazon.
15This year, the Cerrado savanna is having more fires than usual.
16The grassland stretches across the central and western part of Brazil.
17A large area is said to have burned there in the first seven months of the year.
18Ane Alencar is science director at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute.
19During an online meeting on July 27, she said there have been fewer Amazon fires this year because of cool weather.
20But she is afraid of what will happen when the weather changes.
21"I'm not sure that the people who cut down the forest will not light it," she said.
22Brazil is also experiencing its most severe drought in 90 years.
23Officials announced on July 22 that a large group of experts will study fires in the Amazon, Pantanal and Cerrado and how to prevent them.
24The group includes about 6,000 federal and state police, firefighters, state public security and environmental officials.
25On June 29, Bolsonaro ordered redeployment of soldiers to the Amazon to combat fires and deforestation.
26He also issued a 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires.
27Similar measures in earlier years did not prevent illegal fires.
28More than 90 percent of the Pantanal hot spots found in 2020 came after a similar presidential ban.
29That information comes from Vinícius Silgueiro, an expert at the Center of Life Institute in Mato Grosso state.
30"The sense of impunity is very high. Enforcement is well below what is necessary," Silgueiro said.
31Mauren Lazzaretti is Mato Grosso's environment secretary.
32She said the federal and state governments last year began working together to make sure no areas were left at risk.
33The state is also buying a helicopter and plans to deploy airplanes to drop fire-fighting chemicals.
34Pantanal farmers and businesses will loan the planes.
35Last year, over four million hectares of the Pantanal burned.
36That is about 27 percent of the area and the most since official record-keeping began in 2003.
37Although the Pantanal regrows quickly, fires often kill local wildlife, like jaguars and caimans.
38The size of the fires last year brought attention to the idea of individual responsibility, Lazzaretti said.
39There is more involvement this year from cities, farmers and native communities, she added.
40The year before, fires in the Amazon led several European governments to openly criticize Bolsonaro's administration.
41Bolsonaro reacted by saying the fires were about the same as the average for several years and were down sharply from 15 years before.
42Plant life in the Amazon rainforest takes about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the Earth's atmosphere each year.
43Human activity around the world is estimated to produce 40 billion tons yearly.
44That makes the Amazon an important part of the world's effort to fight climate change.
45But a study led by a Brazilian ministry and published in July discovered something else.
46It found that the southeastern Amazon rainforest, heavily affected by logging, has been releasing more carbon than it stored.
47Paulo Artaxo is professor of environmental physics at the University of São Paulo in Brazil.
48He is also a member of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
49Artaxo said other recent studies have shown that areas in the western Amazon are now carbon neutral.
50A few years ago, scientists said it was a place that stored carbon.
51Carlos Nobre is a climate scientist.
52He said Brazil's thick forest will stop being wet enough to remain in its current form.
53It will begin to become grassland.
54Nobre said Bolsonaro's administration still has not done enough to save the rainforest.
55He said the federal government continues to do nothing about illegal logging, deforestation and fires in the Amazon.
56He added, that those who do the crimes "continue to feel rather empowered."
57I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Anna Mateo.
1A continuing lack of rain in parts of Brazil has officials and experts concerned that forest fires will again be a problem this year. 2In Brazil, forest fire season is coming. The government space agency uses satellites to observe fires. It reported recently that more areas burned in July of this year than in any July since 2016. 3Most Brazilian fires are caused by humans. They are often started by companies or people claiming land as their own. They burn down and clear trees to raise cattle or grow crops. 4Historical records show that fires usually start increasing in June and reach their highest numbers in September. Fires can easily get out of control during the dry season, burning large areas of forest. 5Forest loss a concern 6Brazil is home to the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest. It also is home to wetlands known as the Pantanal, also the world's largest wetlands. Both had many fires in 2019 and 2020 that caused the most forest loss in years. That led to criticism of the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro. He has repeatedly called for development in the Amazon. 7This year, the Cerrado savanna is having more fires than usual. The grassland stretches across the central and western part of Brazil. A large area is said to have burned there in the first seven months of the year. 8Ane Alencar is science director at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute. During an online meeting on July 27, she said there have been fewer Amazon fires this year because of cool weather. But she is afraid of what will happen when the weather changes. "I'm not sure that the people who cut down the forest will not light it," she said. 9Brazil is also experiencing its most severe drought in 90 years. Officials announced on July 22 that a large group of experts will study fires in the Amazon, Pantanal and Cerrado and how to prevent them. The group includes about 6,000 federal and state police, firefighters, state public security and environmental officials. 10On June 29, Bolsonaro ordered redeployment of soldiers to the Amazon to combat fires and deforestation. He also issued a 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires. 11Similar measures in earlier years did not prevent illegal fires. More than 90 percent of the Pantanal hot spots found in 2020 came after a similar presidential ban. That information comes from Vinícius Silgueiro, an expert at the Center of Life Institute in Mato Grosso state. "The sense of impunity is very high. Enforcement is well below what is necessary," Silgueiro said. 12Mauren Lazzaretti is Mato Grosso's environment secretary. She said the federal and state governments last year began working together to make sure no areas were left at risk. 13The state is also buying a helicopter and plans to deploy airplanes to drop fire-fighting chemicals. Pantanal farmers and businesses will loan the planes. 14Last year, over four million hectares of the Pantanal burned. That is about 27 percent of the area and the most since official record-keeping began in 2003. Although the Pantanal regrows quickly, fires often kill local wildlife, like jaguars and caimans. 15The size of the fires last year brought attention to the idea of individual responsibility, Lazzaretti said. There is more involvement this year from cities, farmers and native communities, she added. 16The year before, fires in the Amazon led several European governments to openly criticize Bolsonaro's administration. Bolsonaro reacted by saying the fires were about the same as the average for several years and were down sharply from 15 years before. 17Carbon storage decreasing 18Plant life in the Amazon rainforest takes about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the Earth's atmosphere each year. Human activity around the world is estimated to produce 40 billion tons yearly. 19That makes the Amazon an important part of the world's effort to fight climate change. But a study led by a Brazilian ministry and published in July discovered something else. It found that the southeastern Amazon rainforest, heavily affected by logging, has been releasing more carbon than it stored. 20Paulo Artaxo is professor of environmental physics at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. He is also a member of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Artaxo said other recent studies have shown that areas in the western Amazon are now carbon neutral. A few years ago, scientists said it was a place that stored carbon. 21Carlos Nobre is a climate scientist. He said Brazil's thick forest will stop being wet enough to remain in its current form. It will begin to become grassland. 22Nobre said Bolsonaro's administration still has not done enough to save the rainforest. 23He said the federal government continues to do nothing about illegal logging, deforestation and fires in the Amazon. He added, that those who do the crimes "continue to feel rather empowered." 24I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Anna Mateo. 25The Associated Press reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 26_________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28cattle -n. farm animals including cows, bulls and steers 29savanna -n. a large flat area of grass with very few trees largely in Africa and South America 30unauthorized -adj. done without official or legal permission 31impunity -n. freedom from punishment, harm, or loss 32logging -n. cutting down trees for wood 33carbon neutral -adj. having or resulting in no loss or gain of carbon especially of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere