Brazil's Bolsonaro says to fight Amazon fires, blames weather

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro looks on during an Soldier's Day ceremony, in Brasilia, Brazil August 23, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday he will deploy federal troops with appropriate equipment to fight the fires in the Amazon rainforest, blaming dryer-than-normal weather for the spike in fire outbreaks this year.

In a speech on national television, Bolsonaro said the government was very aware of the situation and will fight "environmental crime" the same way it fights ordinary crime.

He said, however, that the spread of "false information" regarding the situation in northern Brazil "does not help to solve it."

(Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Sandra Maler)