Warplanes dump water to battle raging rainforest fires in Amazon as G7 announces funds to help South American countries
Fires continue to burn in the rainforests of the Amazon as G7 nations commit funds to help affected countries.
Brazilian warplanes dumped thousands of litres of water over the weekend to battle the raging Amazon rainforest fires, as leaders of the G7 nations pledged an immediate AU$30 million in funds to aid the South American countries.
Meanwhile, a charity backed by Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $US 5 million ($A7.4 million to the cause).
Video posted to Twitter by Brazil’s defence ministry shows one of the planes passing over a smouldering area, spouting jets of water, the New York Post reported.
The country’s embattled leader, President Jair Bolsonaro, gave in to global pressure in making some 44,000 troops available for “unprecedented” operations to put out the fires.
French President Emmanuel Macron, the host of this year’s summit, announced the funds along with Chilean President Sebastián Piñera.
Mr Macron called the Amazon the “lungs” of the planet, adding that leaders were also weighing the possibility of providing similar support to Africa, which has also been struggling with rain forest fires.
Though the US supported the initiative, President Donald Trump was not present for Monday’s working session on the environment, according to Macron.
Meahwile, AFP report that hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, even as military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas.
Smoke choked Port Velho city as fires raged in the northwestern state of Rondonia where fire-fighting efforts are concentrated.
Two C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying thousands of litres of water began dousing fires devouring chunks of the world’s largest rainforest, which is seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check.
Originally published as Warplanes dump water to battle raging rainforest fires in Amazon as G7 announces funds to help South American countries
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