Althouse: "Forest fires are common in the Amazon during the dry season, which runs from July to October. They can be caused by naturally occurring events..."

August 23, 2019

"Forest fires are common in the Amazon during the dry season, which runs from July to October. They can be caused by naturally occurring events..."

"... such as by lightning strikes, but also by farmers and loggers clearing land for crops or grazing. Activists say the anti-environment rhetoric of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has encouraged such tree-clearing activities. In response, Mr Bolsonaro, a long-time climate sceptic, accused non-governmental organisations of starting the fires themselves to damage his government's image."

From "The Amazon in Brazil is on fire - how bad is it?" (BBC).

26 comments:

h said...: More specifically, Pres. Bolsonaro accused environmental NGOs of setting fires in retaliation for his actions which cut Brazilian government funding to the NGOs. All the news reports on this try to discredit Bolsonaro ("right-wing President Bolsonaro" "without proof" made these accusations. I don't recall seeing this formulation in reports on anti-Trump reports ("without proof"). I'll keep an eye out for that in the future.; 8/23/19, 5:23 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Fire map in referenced article would be more informative if dots did not stop abruptly at the border. Does the pattern continue into Bolivia? Does Bolivia even exist?

Looks like the daily weather maps put out by some TV and print media. Temperature and wind gradients, cold and warm fronts, stop at the border. Something you notice when you live close to the border.; 8/23/19, 5:29 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Ah, yes. Now reading a larger percent increase Bolivia fires than Brazil. Larger percent increase also in Peru. Where is the outrage?; 8/23/19, 5:35 AM
Danno said...: After a wildfire, the land regenerates and new things grow.

After the lithium miners mess up Peru and Chile to accommodate all the increasing needs for electric battery cells for feeding our low-carbon energy dreams, those places will be pretty much fucked up forever.

There's that. Or is Brazil special because the snowflake have been told to keep the Amazon in their hearts?; 8/23/19, 5:55 AM
Danno said...: snowflakes; 8/23/19, 5:55 AM
iowan2 said...: 4:58am What? My thermometer had 58F. Windows open and a perfect light breeze moving through the house, coaxed me back under the covers for another 45 minutes. I'm an early riser, but not anal about it.; 8/23/19, 6:39 AM
Fritz said...: This post at WUWT pretty much busts the notion that anything unusual is going on in the Amazon this year with fires.; 8/23/19, 6:41 AM
Darrell said...: They should pass a law banning forest fires.; 8/23/19, 6:43 AM
Howard said...: This helps support Tesla stock.; 8/23/19, 6:46 AM
stevew said...: CNN as Snopes: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/22/us/debunk-amazon-photos-trnd/index.html; 8/23/19, 6:58 AM
gilbar said...: i like amazon as much as anyone, particularly amazon prime; with the free shipping
But!
What's with these fires?
Doesn't amazon CARE about the environment?; 8/23/19, 8:00 AM
Ralph L said...: Is the Althouse Portal fireproof for everyone, or just Prime commenters?; 8/23/19, 8:16 AM
John henry said...: OTOH,

Wildfires often occur in Brazil during this time of year. According to NASA, fires in the Amazon increase in July and August and reach their peak in September, typically stopping by November. There’s debate about just how much worse this year is than other years, or if it is worse. The answer depends on the source you read.

Data from NASA and the Global Fire Emissions Database indicated that total fire activity in the Amazon is just below average compared to the last 15 years, but has been above average specifically in Amazonas and Rondonia (where the current fires are burning.)

https://usbreakingnews.net/2019/08/22/amazon-forest-fire-cause-what-started-the-brazil-fires/
John Henry; 8/23/19, 8:16 AM
wildswan said...: I have been told that there's always been a lot of farmers in the Amazon basin and around it who are, legally speaking, squatting on land they do not own. The owners have accepted this because they own huge land areas with which they themselves are doing nothing. But increasingly situations are arising when the owners want all squatters off their land so as to have clear title for a sale. These farmers then move elsewhere into the forest and burn out an area for a new farm. On this explanation, the number of fires is a smoke signal of despair indicating how many people have been driven off land they were farming. Naturally the eco-tyrants never mention the squatter farmers and their problems.; 8/23/19, 8:37 AM
Leland said...: Why are these imperialist NGO's telling Brazilians how to live in Brazil? Why can't Brazilians clear land to grow food to feed their people?; 8/23/19, 8:49 AM
The Godfather said...: “Climate sceptic”. Me, personally, I’m a climate believer. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.; 8/23/19, 9:38 AM
iowan2 said...: I have been told that there's always been a lot of farmers in the Amazon basin and around it who are, legally speaking, squatting on land they do not own.

Most people have no concept of how private property ownership is one of the large mechanisms of the United States success.; 8/23/19, 10:32 AM
PM said...: The current Amazon rainforest didn't exist during the time of mesoamerican high culture. It was formed by neglect.; 8/23/19, 10:36 AM
gilbar said...: Another Iowan said
Most people have no concept of how private property ownership is one of the large mechanisms of the United States success.

LOTS of people have the EXACT concept of how private property ownership is one of the large mechanisms of the United States' success.... THAT'S WHY THEY HATE US SO MUCH
Hard to argue that Socialism is most best, when the Damn Unite States are around showing it up; 8/23/19, 11:29 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: "Most people have no concept of how private property ownership is one of the large mechanisms of the United States success."

So you say. That was before Kelo v. City of New London, and before the Feds or the Sheriff can arrest, and keep or sell your cash, car, and house on suspicion of connection to a crime.; 8/23/19, 12:29 PM
n.n said...: Conservation, not environmentalism, where the latter shifts and obfuscates ecological corruption and disruption for social progress and Green Blight profits.; 8/23/19, 12:50 PM
George said...: Brazil's National Institute for Space Research reported that the fires are burning at the highest rate since they started recording in 2013.

NASA reports that the number of fires is less than usual.

The media and the left have adopted the climate change scam as the get Bolsonaro weapon just as Rhee have adopted the racism scam to get Trump.; 8/23/19, 5:51 PM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Of course it's common.

Rivers burning are common. Happened in the 60s. Smog? Common.

Common trumps science.

Always.; 8/23/19, 6:39 PM
mockturtle said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/23/19, 7:11 PM
mockturtle said...: Some science to the rescue: Amazon fires, five things the media won't tell you; 8/23/19, 7:12 PM
Bilwick said...: I understand that genius, Bill Maher, said something like, "So David Koch is dead. The @#$%ing Amazon is on fire. I'm glad he's dead." Does Maher have evidence that Koch set fire to the rain forest?; 8/24/19, 1:44 PM