Several forest fires in southeastern Brazil prompted a maximum alert to be declared in around thirty cities in the state of Sao Paulo on Friday, where the fire blocked roads and smoke reached the capital of Sao Paulo, authorities reported.
Weather conditions with temperatures exceeding 35ºC and low humidity, combined with a prolonged drought in the region, caused the fires in the northwest of Brazil’s most populous state, with 44 million inhabitants.
The São Paulo government set up a crisis cabinet on Friday night to coordinate efforts to combat the blaze.
“We currently have 30 cities on high alert for large fires and we are working to control the situation and ensure people’s safety,” Governor Tarcísio de Freitas said on social media X.
Local authorities said two workers at a factory in the northern municipality of Urupés died while trying to fight a fire.
Transport disruptions
The advance of the flames caused major disruptions to transport. Low visibility due to smoke brought traffic to a complete or partial standstill on a dozen roads.
Meanwhile, the capital of São Paulo was covered in a dense grey fog.
“The fire could spread rapidly due to gusts of wind,” the government warned in a statement.
“Fires emit dense, toxic smoke that harms the environment and human health, causing respiratory problems and cardiovascular disorders,” he added.
The situation was critical in Sao Jose do Rio Preto, a city of 480,000 inhabitants where more than 335 fires have been reported in the last four days and classes have been suspended, according to local press.
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