Amazon Fires: Brazil's Bolsonaro allows army to help fire-fight

President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday authorized deployment of Brazil's armed forces to help combat fires raging in Amazon rainforest, as a growing global outcry over blazes sparks protests and threatens a huge tre deal. Plumes of thick smoke rose into sky above dense forest in rthwestern state of Rondonia, where bright orange flames from various fires were visible for kilometers, a photographer from media reported.

"It's t rmal and it's like this because of smoke from fires," said a hotel employee in state capital Porto Velho, which was covered by a layer of smoke as fires burned near city.

fires in world's largest rainforest have sparked street protests around planet and ignited a war of words between Bolsonaro and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who has described wildfires as an "international crisis" and vowed to block a tre agreement between European Union and South American countries.

latest official figures show 76,720 forest fires were recorded in Brazil so far this year  highest number for any year since 2013 which experts blame on accelerating deforestation as land is cleared during months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing.

More than half are in Amazon. Around 700 new fires were ignited between Wednesday and Thursday, according to National Institute for Research (INPE), fuelling air contamination in cities including Sao Paulo, where thick smog turned day into night on Monday. After a late-night crisis meeting with members of his cabinet, Bolsonaro on Friday issued a decree permitting deployment of armed forces to help extinguish fires and crackdown on criminal activities in region.

Bolsonaro's decision came as demonstrations are held around world over fires in Amazon forest, a region considered "lungs of planet" and seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check. Protests are planned in Brazil's major cities later Friday, as European leers express growing concern over destruction. In an escalating public row over blazes, Macron on Friday accused Bolsonaro of lying to him on Brazil's stance on climate change.

France will w block a tre deal between European Union and South American tre bloc Mercosur, which includes Brazil, a French presidential official said. Macron h tweeted Thursday that fires burning in Amazon amount to an international crisis and should be discussed as a top priority when G7 countries meet this weekend in France. Bolsonaro n blasted Macron for having a "colonialist mentality."

Ireland also threatened to block tre deal. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson described fires as "heartbreaking" and offered to help put m out. " extent of fires in Amazon area is shocking and threatening and t only for Brazil and or affected countries but also for whole world," German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Friday.

Environmental specialists say fires have accompanied a rapid rate of deforestation in Amazon region, which in July qurupled compared to same month in 2018, according to INPE data, which Bolsonaro previously described as lies and prompted sacking of ncy's he. Bolsonaro inste attributes blazes to increased drought and accuses environmental groups and NGOs of whipping up an "environmental psychosis" to harm Brazil's ecomic interests.

Earlier in week, Bolsonaro accused NGOs of starting fires. Brazil's powerful agriculture sector a key supporter of Bolsonaro has expressed concerns over president's rhetoric, fearing a boycott of ir products in key markets. Neighboring Paraguay and Bolivia are also battling separate wildfires that have devastated large areas of ir rainforests.

Bolivian government on Friday took delivery of a "supertanker" aircraft to help extinguish fires that have destroyed around 7,770 square kilometers of eastern province of Santa Cruz for past month.