Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro finally allowed his government to take giant steps in stopping the world-detested Amazon fires. Military warplanes were sent over the weekend to dump huge amounts of water onto the burning sites.
According to The Guardian, the move was made in response to calls from leaders of the G-7 (Group of 7) member nations. Bolsonaro and his administration initially said that reports about the Amazon fires were exaggerated.
On Sunday, the Brazilian defense ministry uploaded a video that showed one of the military planes sprinkling thousands of gallons of water through two large hoses. The liters of water were pumped into areas where clouds of smoke are seen on the video.
Among the most vocal G-7 leaders who expressed dismay over Bolsonaro's handling of the issue is French President Emmanuel Macron. He said during the G-7 summit in France that the group was close to securing a deal that will offer financial assistance and other forms of support for regions in Brazil and neighboring countries affected.
Videos and photos of the Amazon fires' devastating impact on wildlife and the forests drew the ire of environmentalists and global leaders. Macron led the way in calling out the Brazilian government for its alleged lack of action to the issue.
Bolsonaro started stepping up measures to stop the further spread of Amazon fires on Friday. He said on Twitter that he talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone regarding the issue. Netanyahu pledged to offer a plane to help with stopping the fires.
Other countries have also shown support for the movement to stop Amazon fires from ensuring. Colombian President Ivan Duque announced his country's plans to develop a conservation agreement with the rest of the Amazonian nations.
Meanwhile, affected regions, Rondonia, in particular, continue to experience devastation as fires crawl around the forests and smoke covers the region. Brazil is said to have deployed 43,000 troops to quench the fires but they are reportedly struggling.
The latest figures revealed that as of August 2019, there has been a disappointing and shocking 85 percent increase in fires burning in Amazonian forests. According to CNN, Rondonia accounts for 6,436 fires so far.
It is unclear what causes fires in the Amazon forests. Many scientists said the Bolsonaro administration's encouragement of deforestation may have contributed to the increasing number of fires in many Amazonian countries.
Bolsonaro, for his part, rebutted these claims. He said the dry season triggers an annual spur in fires in Amazonian forests. However, the fast pace of infernos sprawling across forests has been a topic of debate among global leaders.
