ASSOCIATED PRESS • October 1, 2022
September has come and gone, marking another painful milestone for the world’s largest rainforest. It’s the worst month for fire in the Amazon in over a decade. Satellite sensors detected over 42,000 fires in 30 days according to Brazil’s national space institute. The surge in forest fire occurs amid a polarizing presidential campaign. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is seeking a second four-year term against leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who ruled Brazil between 2003 and 2010 and leads in the polls. The first round of the election is on Sunday. Despite the smoke clogging the air of entire Amazon cities, state elections have largely ignored environmental issues.