Amazonas Police Arrest 11 People Suspected of Involvement in Fires - 19/10/2026 - Science and Health - Folha de S.Paulo

The Amazonas Military Police arrested 11 people on suspicion of involvement in fires in the state. The arrests took place on Saturday (17) in the municipality of Autazes (267 km from Manaus), according to Governor Roberto Cidade (União).

"The Military Police and the Fire Department have been working hard to identify these men who are setting fires in our state," he said. "A large share of these fire outbreaks comes from men who are setting fires in our state."

On Sunday (18), a federal government delegation arrived in Manaus to assess the wildfire situation in Amazonas and announce support from the Armed Forces in fighting the fires. On Tuesday (20), a Joint Armed Forces General Staff will be established in the state capital to coordinate military operations.

Around 250 firefighters are working in the field in support of teams coordinated by Ibama and other federal agencies.

The number of fire outbreaks in Amazonas has more than doubled this year, according to data from Inpe (National Institute for Space Research).

The state recorded 7,815 incidents from January 1 to October 12, an increase of 116% compared with the same period in 2025.