Wall Street Chronicle

More than 74,000 fires have been recorded in the Brazilian Amazon this year. Here’s why that’s a big deal.

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6 years ago

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BI ACCOUNTS

Benji Jones
and Amber Bragdon

2h

As of August 20, more than 74,000 fires have been recorded across the Brazilian Amazon.
That’s nearly double the total number of fires in 2018.
Environmental groups blame Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has indicated that protecting the rainforest is not a priority.
They say Bolsonaro has emboldened ranchers and farmers to set fire to forests to acquire more land, now with impunity.
Scientists warn that the results may be devastating. They say the Amazon is near a tipping point, beyond which the forest could turn into a dry savannah.
Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

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