In Peru, a fire is destroying vast areas of the natural reserve of the Manu people, in the Peruvian forest. Fire fighting officials in the zone have redoubled their efforts to choke the flames. The fire originated Thursday in the sector of Akanaku, located in route from access to the National Park of the Manu. The cause of the fire is unknown. Manu National Park,one of the main tourist attractions of Peru, is an ecosystem of great wealth in fauna and wild flora in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon forest on the western slopes of the Andes Mountains.
Fire is used as a tool in forest conversion.
This is done by small farmers as well as large agro-industrial companies. Government officials are tracking down those responsible for the fires, but they have little money and only six helicopters to cover the whole of central Brazil. A plane on loan from the United States, loaded with digital cameras and thermal sensors flew in Wednesday to provide exact data on areas devastated by fires and illegal logging, even when visibility is low due to smoke. The action came in response to the biggest forest fire ever in Brazil in the State of Roraima in March 1998. Brazilian farmers plant on burned over land.