The Brazilian Government lacks the resources to fight a record number of wildfires burning in the Amazon rainforest, President Jair Bolsonaro said, weeks after telling donors he did not need their money.

The growing threat to what some call “the lungs of the planet” has ignited a bitter dispute about who is to blame during the tenure of a leader who described Brazil’s rainforest protections as an obstacle to economic development.

“The Amazon is bigger than Europe, how will you fight criminal fires in such an area?” Mr Bolsonaro asked reporters as he left the presidential residence.

“We do not have the resources for that.”

Fires in the Amazon have surged 83 per cent so far this year compared with the same period a year earlier, government figures show, destroying vast swathes of a forest considered a vital bulwark against climate change.

The Amazon rainforest covers an area of around 6 million square kilometres, while Europe’s area is around 10 million square kilometres.

Photo: Fires in the Amazon have surged 83 per cent so far this year. (AP: NASA)

French President Emmanuel Macron said the fires were an international emergency and called for the situation to be discussed at the G7 summit, which gets underway in France this weekend.

“The Amazon rainforest — the lungs which produces 20 per cent of our planet’s oxygen — is on fire,” Mr Macron wrote on Twitter.

“It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let’s discuss this emergency.”

Photo: Brazilian prosecutors are investigating a spike in deforestation and wildfires. (Reuters: Bruno Kelly)

Although fires are a regular and natural occurrence during the regular dry season at this time of year, environmentalists blamed the sharp rise on farmers setting the forest alight to clear land for pasture.

‘If the Amazon suffers, the world suffers’

Since Mr Bolsonaro took office in January, international criticism has grown over Brazil’s handling of the Amazon, 60 per cent of which lies in the country.

Earlier this month, Norway and Germany suspended more than $US60 million ($88 million) in funds earmarked for sustainability projects in Brazil’s forests after becoming alarmed by changes to the way projects were selected under Mr Bolsonaro.

At the time, when asked about the loss of German funding, Mr Bolsonaro said Brazil did not need it.

Photo: Federal prosecutors in Brazil are investigating a spike in deforestation and wildfires. (AP: Maxar Technologies)

The Bishops Conference for Latin America expressed concern about what it called “a tragedy”, and on Thursday called on countries to take immediate action to protect the rainforest and the communities that live in and around it.

“We urge the governments of the Amazon countries, especially Brazil and Bolivia, the United Nations and the international community to take serious measures to save the world’s lungs,” the Bishops Conference said.

“If the Amazon suffers, the world suffers.”

Photo: The Amazon rain forest produces 20 per cent of the world’s oxygen. (Reuters: Bruno Kelly)

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Federal prosecutors in Brazil said they were investigating a spike in deforestation and wildfires to determine whether there had been reduced monitoring and enforcement of environmental protections there.

Prosecutors also said they would investigate an advertisement reportedly published by a local newspaper last week encouraging farmers to participate in a “Fire Day”, in which they would burn large areas of forest “to show Bolsonaro their willingness to work”.

Calls for action on social media

The hashtag #PrayForTheAmazon began trending on Twitter this week as netizens and celebrities joined the call for action.

Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, Ellen DeGeneres and Mia Farrow were among the hundreds to add their voices to the crisis.

“As Amazon burns, Bolsonaro ignores the crisis — even blaming his critics,” tweeted Mia Farrow.

Others expressed “disgust” at the lack of funding offered to save the Amazon, when millions of dollars were donated for fire repairs for the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Some users quipped that “the wrong Amazon is burning” in reference to the e-commerce giant, while others posted artwork expressing outrage or sadness.

Bolsonaro renews accusations against NGO’s

On Wednesday, Mr Bolsonaro said, without supporting evidence, that non-governmental organisations were behind the fires.

Questioned again on Thursday about those comments, he said he could not prove that NGOs, for whom he has cut funding, were lighting the fires but that they were “the most likely suspects”.

The firebrand right-wing president has repeatedly said he believes Brazil should open the Amazon up to business interests, to allow mining and logging companies to exploit its natural resources.

“As NGOs lose funding … What can they do?” he asked.

“Try to take me down, try to take me down. That’s all that’s left for them to do.”

London-based Amnesty International blamed the Brazilian Government for the fires.

The rights group this year documented illegal land invasions and arson attacks near indigenous territories in the Amazon, including Rondonia state, where many fires are raging, said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty’s secretary general.

“Instead of spreading outrageous lies or denying the scale of deforestation taking place, we urge the president to take immediate action to halt the progress of these fires,” Mr Naidoo said.

ABC/Wires