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Brazilian firefighters battle national park wildfire that is enveloping Brasilia in smoke

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Brazilian firefighters battle national park wildfire that is enveloping Brasilia in smoke
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News

Brazilian firefighters battle national park wildfire that is enveloping Brasilia in smoke

2024-09-17 06:43 Last Updated At:06:51

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Firefighters on Monday battled flames spreading through a national park in Brazil that is enveloping Brasilia in smoke. It's the latest wildfire in the country, which is experiencing an historic drought.

More than 490 firefighters were trying to extinguish blazes that have already burned through 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of the conservation area of Brasilia National Park. There are four main fire fronts, all concentrated in the eastern region of the park, according to a statement from ICMBio, the government agency that manages the park.

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Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season near Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season near Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A cyclist pedals through the smoke in Brasilia, Brazil, coming from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A cyclist pedals through the smoke in Brasilia, Brazil, coming from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, before sunrise Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, before sunrise Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Fire spreads in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Fire spreads in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

The fire “spread very quickly because of wind speed, low humidity, and it is very hot,” João Paulo Morita, an ICMBio fire management coordinator, said in a video distributed by the agency.

The situation improved towards the end of the day, Morita said, adding that there were still fires in the woods near the streams. “The job tonight will be to fight these fires that are inside these forests,” he added.

Three aircraft are using water to tackle the flames, and a helicopter is helping to monitor the burned areas, the ICMBio statement said.

Federal Police are investigating the case, as the fire was started by human activity, the statement said, adding that so far there have no reports of injured or rescued animals.

The head of the agency, Mauro Pires, told newspaper Folha de S.Paulo that the fire appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's countryside residence.

Smoke from the fire smothered the capital, Brasilia, on Monday, and columns of black smoke were visible from several points in the city.

Brazil has been enveloped in smoke in recent weeks, as fires rage in the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado savanna and the Pantanal wetlands. Those uncontrolled, human-made wildfires have ravaged protected areas and spread smoke over a vast expanse, causing air quality to plummet.

The country is also enduring its worst drought since nationwide measurements began more than seven decades ago, with 59% of the country affected — an area roughly half the size of the U.S. Major Amazon basin rivers are registering historic lows.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Instagram that the Federal Police have opened 52 investigations “against those responsible for the crimes against our country,” adding that he would be meeting with Environment Minister Marina Silva to “discuss further actions to deal with this climate emergency.” On Sunday, he did a flyover of the park that's spread across three of the Federal District's administrative regions, including Brasilia, and one municipality in Goias state.

Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino issued a ruling on Sunday authorizing the federal government to direct extra funds toward combating forest fires and hiring firefighters.

Scientists say that climate change — primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal — makes extreme weather more likely, favoring conditions for events such as wildfires and floods.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from fires in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season near Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season near Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A cyclist pedals through the smoke in Brasilia, Brazil, coming from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A cyclist pedals through the smoke in Brasilia, Brazil, coming from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park, early Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire was man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, before sunrise Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke from a fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park affects Brasilia, Brazil, before sunrise Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Fire spreads in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Fire spreads in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Smoke rises from fire in the environmentally protected area of Brasilia National Park during the dry season in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. The head of the agency that manages protected areas, Mauro Pires, told the local press that the fire is man-made and appears to have started near the edge of the presidency's official countryside residence. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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Bitcoin soars past $109,000 ahead of possible early action on crypto by Trump

2025-01-20 23:49 Last Updated At:23:52

WASHINGTON (AP) — The price of bitcoin surged to over $109,000 early Monday, just hours ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as a pumped up cryptocurrency industry bets he'll take action soon after returning to the White House.

Once a skeptic who said a few years ago that bitcoin “ seems like a scam,” Trump has embraced digital currencies with a convert’s zeal. He's launched a new cryptocurrency venture and vowed on the campaign trail to take steps early in his presidency to make the U.S. into the “crypto capital” of the world.

His promises including creating a U.S. crypto stockpile, enacting industry-friendly regulation and event appointing a crypto “czar” for his administration.

“You’re going to be very happy with me,” Trump told crypto-enthusiasts at a bitcoin conference last summer.

Bitcoin is the world’s most popular cryptocurrency and was created in 2009 as a kind of electronic cash uncontrolled by banks or governments. It and newer forms of cryptocurrencies have moved from the financial fringes to the mainstream in wild fits and starts.

The highly volatile nature of cryptocurrencies as well as their use by criminals, scammers and rogue nations, has attracted plenty of critics, who say the digital currencies have limited utility and often are just Ponzi schemes.

But crypto has so far defied naysayers and survived multiple prolonged price drops in its short lifespan. Wealthy players in the crypto industry, which felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration, spent heavily to help Trump win November’s election. Bitcoin has surged in price since Trump's victory, topping $100,000 for the first time last month before briefly sliding down to about $90,000. On Friday, it rose about 5%. It jumped more than $9,000 early Monday, according to CoinDesk.

Two years ago, bitcoin was trading at about $20,000.

Trump’s picks for key cabinet and regulatory positions are stocked with crypto supporters, including his choice to lead the Treasury and Commerce departments and the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Key industry players held a first ever "Crypto Ball” on Friday to celebrate the first “crypto president." The event was sold out, with tickets costing several thousand dollars.

Here’s a look at some detailed action Trump might take in the early days of his administration:

As a candidate Trump promised that he would create a special advisory council to provide guidance on creating “clear” and “straightforward” regulations on crypto within the first 100 days of his presidency.

Details about the council and its membership are still unclear, but after winning November’s election, Trump named tech executive and venture capitalist David Sacks to be the administration’s crypto “czar.” Trump also announced in late December that former North Carolina congressional candidate Bo Hines will be the executive director of the “Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets.”

At last year’s bitcoin conference, Trump told crypto supporters that new regulations “will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry.” Trump's pick to lead the SEC, Paul Atkins, has been a strong advocate for cryptocurrencies.

Crypto investors and companies chafed as what they said was a hostile Biden administration that went overboard in unfair enforcement actions and accounting policies that have stifled innovation in the industry — particularly at the hands of outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.

“As far as general expectations from the Trump Administration, I think one of the best things to bet on is a tone change at the SEC,” said Peter Van Valkenburgh, the executive director of the advocacy group Coin Center.

Gensler, who is set to leave as Trump takes office, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that he’s proud of his office’s actions to police the crypto industry, which he said is “rife with bad actors.”

Trump also promised that as president he’ll ensure the U.S. government stockpiles bitcoin, much like it already does with gold. At the bitcoin conference earlier this summer, Trump said it the U.S. government would keep, rather than auction off, the billions of dollars in bitcoin it has seized through law enforcement actions.

Crypto advocates have posted a draft executive order online that would establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” as a “permanent national asset” to be administered by the Treasury Department through its Exchange Stabilization Fund. The draft order calls for the Treasury Department to eventually hold at least $21 billion in bitcoin.

Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has proposed legislation mandating the U.S. government stockpile bitcoin, which advocates said would help diversify government holdings and hedge against financial risks. Critics say bitcoin’s volatility make it a poor choice as a reserve asset.

Creating such a stockpile would also be a “giant step in the direction of bitcoin becoming normalized, becoming legitimatized in the eyes of people who don’t yet see it as legitimate,” said Zack Shapiro, an attorney who is head of policy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

At the bitcoin conference earlier this year, Trump received loud cheers when he reiterated a promise to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the convicted founder of the drug-selling website Silk Road that used crypto for payments.

Ulbricht’s case has energized some crypto advocates and Libertarian activists, who believe government investigators overreached in building their case against Silk Road.

FILE - Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

FILE - Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

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