BRAZIL. 2019. According to the government, 2019 was a normal year in terms of wildfires the state of Mato Grosso. Despite the 85% increase confirmed by the Brazilian National Space Research Institute. The numbers and versions vary but what is confirmed is the increase by 500% iof deforestation in the areas of intense agro-business, like Sorriso and Sinop. In Claudia, the border of the legal Amazonia and where the jungle is supposted to be protected from the agro-business, fires have been a constant since the beginning of the dry season.
Fires can come from land owners who clean the remains, reactivate the land after harvest, thunderstorms and even traditional hunting from the indigenous villages that remain in the area, but deforestation is a criminal act that is difficult to track and prosecute and who´sprotection budget has been reduced significantly with Bolsonaro´s government.
In the picture, a tractor opens a dry way to cut the proliferation of the fire. These prevention works are coordinated by the local fire brigade and sometimes with the army when there is a special unit. The owners of the fazendas need to follow the indications given by the fire brigade and work to stop the fire cutting clean ways in the middle of the jungle.