Forest-clearing fires double in Brazil as environmental regulations go unenforced — Twitter sensation ensues
www.mongabay.com
August 27, 2010 The number of fires burning in Brazil has more than doubled compared with the same period last year. Surprisingly, the news has sparked a Twitter sensation, with more than 120,000 users “tweeting” messages with the hashtag “#chegadequeimadas” about the fires in a 48 hour window. The phenomenon emerged after analysis of satellite data by Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) revealed the number of “hot spots” between Jan 1 and Aug 26 reached 41,636 in 2010, up from 17,682 for the same period last year. Alberto Setzer, coordinator of INPE’s fire monitoring program, blamed drier and warmer conditions, as well as socio-political factors, like higher commodity prices and upcoming national elections. Afraid of alienating key supporters in the agricultural sector, Setzer told Terra Brasil that politicians are laying off environmental law enforcement until after elections. Uncertainty about the Brazilian environmental legislation – including a possible weakening of the country’s strict Forest Code – might also be having an impact. Fires in the Brazilian Amazon are generally set by developers opening logged forests, deforested scrub, and grassland for pasture and agriculture. Under dry conditions fires often “escape” into adjacent rainforest areas, casting a pall over much of Brazil and in some years affecting transportation and air quality. Fires usually burn until September or October when the rainy season resumes. This year fires are especially concentrated in the drier, but more populated, northeastern and southern parts of the country. …
