Brazil''s government confirmed on Sunday that the states of Roraima, Rondonia, Tocantins and Para have asked for help to the Federal Executive to fight the devastating wildfires that have destroyed large areas of the Amazonia.

In a very late response, the internationally criticized Bolsonaro administration ordered on Saturday the Ministry of Defense to deploy some 44,000 soldiers in the northern Amazon region to be used in operations against ongoing fires.

On Friday, President Jair Bolsonaro signed the order authorizing the use of the Armed Forces to help fight fires in the Amazon jungle.

The so-called Law and Order Guarantee decree applies to border areas, indigenous lands, federal environmental conservation units and other areas of the Brazilian Amazon.

The afore-mentioned states will reportedly receive, too, the support from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and the Chico Mendes Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces, which coordinates the operations, indicated that an Ibama helicopter and two fire planes will be sent shortly to Porto Velho.

According to the National Space Research Institute, wildfire in the world's largest rainforest increased by 82 percent under the Bolsonaro government.