Belmopan, August 29, 2019
Dear Editor,
With reference to the article of BBC reproduced by Amandala last 23rd August, entitled “Amazon fires: ‘Our house is burning’, Macron warns ahead of G7″, may I update you and the readers of your newspaper on the evolution of the situation and on the measures that are being undertaken by the Brazilian government to tackle the challenge of the fires in the Amazon region.
According to satellite images from the Amazon Protection System (Sipam) of the Ministry of Defense, from Saturday (24th) to Monday (26th) there has been a reduction in the number of areas affected by fires in the Legal Amazon. The Sipam satellite identifies the most critical areas affected by fire spots. The system helps to guide teams on the ground.
Operation “Green Brazil” is in its third day (on Monday 26th) and has involved so far around 2,500 military personnel, 15 aircraft (airplanes and helicopters), 210 vehicles and 10 boats. It started after the decree determining the deployment of the Armed Forces in the operations of Environmental Law and Order Operations (known as GLOA), last Friday the 23rd. This measure will be in place until September 24. The GLOA was established to help the nine states situated in the Legal Amazon.
Military operations of the three forces (Navy, Army and Air Force) are being coordinated by the Amazon Military Command and by the Northern Military Command, located in Manaus and Belém, in the Amazonian states of Amazonas and Pará. While the efforts to combat the fires continue, new fire brigades are being trained and a number of preventive, investigative and awareness-raising actions are being undertaken.
The Armed Forces work in support of state governments and in subsidiary