...The fires are caused in part by farmers clearing land to expand agriculture—natural fires in the Amazon are very rare due to the tropical humid climate of the region (although they are indeed increasing as a consequence of global warming). Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is the result of many different actions, including agricultural expansion (mainly for beef production), but also illegal logging, mining, land speculation, urban development, and more. Because of complex factors—including international trade, financing, and policy decisions by the new government that have crippled environmental enforcement agencies—deforestation in the region has surged....
