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After classifying the fires in the Amazon Rainforest as a possible “record”, the NASA went back and softened the analysis: “Time will tell if this year the number of fires is a record or if it is within the usual limits, there is data from 7 years ago being exposed by internet users”
A NASA modified the text on its official website that accompanied the satellite image captured on the 20th showing smoke and fires in the Brazilian Amazon.
Last Wednesday (21), in a post on its official Twitter profile, the United States space agency said that “although it is fire season in Brazil, the number of fires could be a record”.
In the first version of the text, NASA states:
“While it is not uncommon for fires to break out in Brazil at this time of year due to the high temperatures and low humidity, it appears that this year the number of fires could be a record. According to INPE, Brazil’s space research center, almost 73,000 fires have been recorded so far this year. INPE recorded an increase of 83% compared to the same period in 2018.”
After generating intense controversy on social media, the text was edited the following day, Thursday (22).
In the new version, the mention of INPE and the indication that the number of fires could be a record disappear.
The conclusion is much milder with the government of the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, who is being targeted by an international offensive due to the fires.
“Time will tell whether this year’s fire numbers are record-breaking or within normal limits,” NASA says in the new release.
BuzzFeed News asked NASA why the mention of INPE was removed from its website. The agency responded:
“There was no questioning of the INPE numbers. The person responsible for the captions on this image was not aware of a NASA-linked data source on the same subject, which should have been used instead of an external source.”
