Smoke Prevents Flights to Combat Fires in Amazonas
Without visibility, aircraft cannot fly to affected areas and fire outbreaks remain uncontrolled.
TL;DR
- Smoke from Amazon forest fires prevented firefighting aircraft operations on Saturday (17) due to low visibility at Manaus airports.
- The firefighting task force consists of 11 aircraft, including water-dropping planes and helicopters, supported by approximately 250 brigadistas.
- Amazonas has registered a 116% increase in fire outbreaks in 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with 7,815 occurrences.
- The federal government declared a state of emergency in 36 Amazonian municipalities a week prior, deploying federal resources.
- Smoke is also degrading air quality in distant areas, with Manaus reporting 'terrible' levels of fine particles.
- The Minister of Environment suggested intentional human action might be behind some fires, aimed at degrading vegetation for later deforestation.
- Former Minister Marina Silva criticized Senator Flávio Bolsonaro's statements on Amazon deforestation, citing contrasting data from INPE.
- Flávio Bolsonaro claimed the Lula administration has record environmental destruction and the highest burn index in October.
- Marina Silva countered with INPE data, stating the region has the lowest deforestation rate in its historical series.