Record Start to Amazon Fires in Brazil in 2024 as Green Union Points Finger at Budget Cuts for Firefighting

SAO PAULO, Brazil – Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is facing its worst fires on record in the first four months of the year, with environmental workers pointing fingers at government spending cuts on firefighting efforts.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made protecting the Amazon rainforest a priority, but a record drought in the region, exacerbated by the El Nino climate phenomenon and global warming, has fueled the fires.

According to Brazil’s space research agency Inpe, more than 12,000 square kilometers of the Amazon have burned between January and April, the most in over two decades. This area is larger than Qatar or nearly the size of Connecticut.

The fires are mostly man-made, ignited by individuals clearing land for agriculture. The environmental workers union, Ascema, blames budget cuts for firefighting efforts, noting that Ibama’s budget is 24% lower this year.

The government has allocated funds from the Amazon fund for firefighting, but Ascema is demanding better pay and working conditions for environmental workers who play a crucial role in prevention efforts.

While the current area burned is a record for the first four months of the year, the situation could worsen during the peak dry season from August to November.

Environmental experts emphasize the importance of prevention measures such as raising awareness, creating firebreaks, and conducting prescribed burns. Without adequate resources and support for environmental workers, the Amazon faces an unprecedented catastrophe.

“The severity of the fire crisis depends on employing people with stable conditions to implement prevention efforts,” said fire researcher Manoela Machado. The situation in the Amazon highlights the urgent need for action to protect this vital ecosystem and combat climate change.