The Chapada dos Verdadeiros national park in Goiás, central Brazil, has been attacked by a fire which has completely devastated almost a quarter of the protected area.
Speaking to BBC Brasil, the park’s director Fernando Tatagiba believed that arson was the cause of the blaze at the Unesco World Heritage site, which is famed worldwide for its biodiversity, on the basis that the fire had started from inside a firebreak. A firebreak is an area specifically cleared of vegetation by park officials in order to prevent fires from spreading.
Park officials have confirmed that at least 54,000 hectares (130,000 acres) have been crippled by fire so far, and despite over 100 people tackling the blaze, it’s still not extinguished – though it is expected to be put out very soon.
The park has around 60,000 years per annum, however the fire has meant that the park is closed at this moment in time.
Officials have stated that this fire is the worst in the recent history of the park. The park itself was created in 1961 by the then Brazil president Juscelino Kubitschek.
Earlier this year in June, the Brazil government increased the park’s overall size from 65,000 to 240,000 hectares, which was received tremendously by environmentalists.
At least 22% of the area has been ravaged by the fire, which started on the 17th October.
