Four Brazilian States Have Called on the Military to Assist in Fighting Fires

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The government confirmed yesterday, August 24th, that the states of Roraima, Rondônia, Tocantins, and Pará have appealed to the federal government for assistance in fighting forest fires. According to the Ministry of Defense, some 44,000 military personnel from the Armed Forces are continuously in the Amazon region and may be deployed for operations.

Environment Minister Ricardo Salles confirmed this during a press conference. Salles attended a meeting on Saturday morning with the Minister of Defense, Fernando Azevedo e Silva.

President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree on Friday, August 23rd, authorizing the employment of the military to assist in the fight against the fires in the Amazon rainforest. The Guarantee of Law and Order (GLO) decree is applicable to border areas, indigenous lands, federal units of environmental conservation, and other areas in the Legal Amazon.

According to the Minister of Defense, the commitment of local governments is crucial so that the work against environmental crimes and fires may not be limited to federal areas.

Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the states will have the support of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBIO), bodies covered by the ministry, to fight fires.

According to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, responsible for coordinating operations, the first measures were implemented on Saturday. An IBAMA helicopter and two fire-fighting planes will be sent to Porto Velho.

An operations center, set up within the ministry, is coordinating the operations.

Funds

Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva also said that the portfolio has a budget of R$28 million (US$7 million) for spending on GLO actions, but the amount is under contingency. However, according to the minister, its release has already been agreed with the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, during a meeting. “I’m at a stage in which I only believe it when I see it,” he said.