Brazilian Federal Police Called to Investigate Fire in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

10/26/2017 - 10h19

Brazil's Ministry of Environment called the Federal Police to investigate what caused the fire that has already burned 26% of the region of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, in the state of Goiás, after "strong evidence" that it was the result of a criminal act.

In an interview given on Wednesday, October 25, the acting minister of Environment, Marcelo Cruz, said that the Environmental Police of Goiás were also called.

Up until Wednesday afternoon, October 25, more than 60,000 hectares of the park had been burned.

The general coordinator for protection of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), Luiz Felipe de Luca, says that it has been reported that motorcycle riders allegedly have been carrying gasoline to feed the fire.

The fight against the fire involves an operation with 215 people coordinated by ICMBio, which is responsible for the park, in addition to more than 100 volunteers. They are using five firefighting aircrafts, four helicopters and a C130 aircraft of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).

The head of the park, Fernando Tatagiba, told BBC Brasil that it is in fact a case of arson.

"There is no possibility of a spontaneous combustion in this region, and 100% of the fires during the dry season in the cerrado region are started by people. The place where the fire started leaves no doubts that it was caused by human action," said Tatagiba.

Even so, Cruz also says that it is necessary to take into account this year's weather conditions, as the region has been facing a prolonged drought and temperatures above average.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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	Flávia Davies/ICMBio
	Brazil's Ministry of Environment called the Federal Police to investigate what caused the fire that has already burned 26% of the region of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park