This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
On August 24, 2019, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro issued a decree ordering the armed forces to help combat a record number of forest fires in the Amazon.
The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. It is home to about three million species of plants and animals, and one million indigenous people.
The decree specified that the military would be deployed to nature reserves, indigenous lands, and border areas in the region.
The move comes after intense pressure from European leaders, including France and Ireland, which have threatened to withhold ratification of a huge trade deal with South American nations unless Brazil takes more action to tackle the blazes.
Many of the fires are thought to have been started deliberately, with suspicion falling on farmers who may benefit from having more available land.
President Bolsonaro has faced criticism for his administration's handling of the Amazon, with environmental groups accusing him of giving a green light to rainforest destruction.
International sanctions are also a possibility, with Finland's finance minister calling on the EU to consider banning Brazilian beef imports.
