Brazilian wetlands fires started by humans and worsened by drought
by Dom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro from Environment | The Guardian on (#58AGQ)
Cloud of soot from fire heads towards Sao Paulo as nearly fifth of Pantanal wetland destroyed by blaze
Fires that have devastated a Brazilian tropical wetlands region famed for its wildlife were started by humans and exacerbated by its worst drought in nearly 50 years, according to Brazilian authorities, firefighters and environmentalist groups.
Images of cremated snakes, tapirs cooked to death, and jaguars with bandaged, burnt paws in the Pantanal region in Brazil's centre-west have horrified Brazilians at a time when fires are also razing forests in the Amazon. A dark cloud of soot from fires is heading towards Sao Paulo.
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