New Scientist: Here is a paradox for those trying to save the rainforests. Reducing the rate of deforestation often makes the number of forest fires go up. Yes, up. The finding came from a study of satellite images of Amazonia by Luiz Aragão of the University of Exeter, UK, and Yosio Shimabukuro at the National Institute of Space Research in São Paulo, Brazil (Science, vol 328, p 1275). Pristine forests and farmed areas are largely fire-free. But fires proliferate in half-destroyed forests, where …