20% of Brasilia Forest Consumed by Wildfire, Arson Believed to be the Cause
BRASILIA—Firefighters managed to reduce the scale of a massive wildfire that blazed for two days and destroyed around 20 percent of a forest in the Brazilian capital. This incident enveloped the city in gray-white smoke clouds, officials stated, indicating suspicions that it could have been ignited by arsonists.
The National Forest of Brasilia is a conservation zone spanning 5,600 hectares of woodland safeguarding the springs that provide 70 percent of the city’s freshwater.
The fire erupted during the dry season peak when vegetation is dry and temperatures are high, facilitating rapid fire spread.
“We have extinguished three of the four blazes and are aiming to have the fire under control by day’s end,” stated Fabio dos Santos Miranda, the forest’s manager.
“While we are certain this was an environmental offense, we are yet to confirm if it was deliberate or accidental,” he mentioned in an interview, noting three suspected arsonists were spotted in the fire’s origin vicinity.
Firefighters encountered difficulties in managing the forest fire and preventing it from encroaching onto nearby orchards where farmers cultivate tomatoes and flowers.
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“We are striving to safeguard the orchards, but the wind is pushing the fire toward them, causing sparks to travel long distances,” noted firefighter Major Godoy.
Emilia Vasconcellos, a farmer rearing cattle and chickens in a farm at risk of the fire, expressed her belief that the fire might have been started by people to clear land, although she lacked evidence.
Government data revealed that a record drought in the Amazon led to an increase in forest fires in August, reaching the highest levels since 2010.
