Brazilian warplanes dump water on Amazon fires as outcry mounts

G7 leaders stepped up pressure on president Jair Bolsonaro to tackle destruction of precious rainforest

Brazilian warplanes have begun dumping water on burning forest in the Amazon state of Rondonia, responding to an outcry over the destruction of the world's largest tropical rain forest.

President Jair Bolsonaro authorised military operations in seven states on Sunday to combat raging fires in the Amazon, responding to requests for assistance from their local governments, a spokeswoman for his office said.