Amazon fires fall sharply in September
RIO DE JANEIRO — Official figures show that the number of fires in the Amazon fell in September after an alarming rise in July and August.
Data from the National Institute for Space Research released Tuesday show a 35.5 percent decline from August, with 19,925 fires recorded last month.
Official data back to 1998 show that historically, September tends to have more fires than August.
Fire is used to clear land by ranchers and farmers as well as illegal loggers and miners.
In July and August, parts of the Amazon burned at a pace unseen since 2010, adding to global worries about climate change.
International attention led President Jair Bolsonaro to ban fires for 60 days and sent in federal troops.
Scientists say the vast rainforest is a critical bulwark against global warming.
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