Wildfires in Brazil Trigger Highest Level of Alerts

Wildfires spread across São Paulo state, Brazil’s most populous state, yesterday (Friday), prompting the issuance of the highest level of warnings in 30 cities, while smoke covered the skies of the state capital, according to the French Press Agency.

Low humidity and temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius are exacerbating conditions conducive to fires in the southeastern region, which is suffering from drought.

The government of São Paulo state established a crisis cell yesterday evening to coordinate efforts to combat the fires.

The state’s governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, said on the “X” platform, “We currently have 30 cities on high alert for major fires, and we are working to control the situation and ensure safety.”

Local authorities confirmed the deaths of two workers at a factory in the municipality of Ourópolis in the northern part of the state while attempting to fight a fire.

The fires also caused disruptions to transportation, with reduced visibility due to the smoke leading to partial or complete road closures on dozens of highways.

At the same time, a thick gray fog covered the city of São Paulo, the state’s capital.

The government warned in a statement that “the fires can spread quickly with gusts of wind.”

It added that “the fires are releasing thick, toxic smoke that harms the environment and human health, causing respiratory problems and cardiovascular disorders.”

The situation was particularly dire in São José do Rio Preto, a city with a population of 480,000, where more than 335 fires were recorded in recent days, leading to the closure of schools.

Brazil has experienced several weather-related disasters, the most recent being a massive wildfire in the wetlands of Pantanal and floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which have killed more than 170 people.