Fires that have destroyed thousands of hectares of forest in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state have been brought under control, as authorities announced on Monday. However, a warning for potential new fires remains in effect.
Since last Thursday, around 2,700 fires were reported in the expansive agricultural state, with over 40 municipalities on high alert. More than 20,000 hectares have been devastated, according to official reports.
By Monday morning, Governor Tarcisio de Freitas stated that there were no active fires left. Soldiers and firefighters continue to remain vigilant to prevent any potential resurgence of fires, especially due to expected dry weather conditions.
Brazil has recently faced extreme weather events, including massive wildfires in the Pantanal wetlands and unprecedented flooding in Rio Grande do Sul that resulted in over 170 fatalities.
Amid a prolonged drought, Sao Paulo state is grappling with its worst August for fires in decades, with over 3,480 separate blazes identified by INPE, the National Institute for Space Research. This number is double the count for the entire year of 2023.
Despite progress in Sao Paulo, several fires are still burning in the Brazilian Amazon, which is experiencing the highest number of blazes in nearly 20 years. Experts attribute the situation to climate change exacerbating dry, hot conditions conducive to fires, many of which are intentionally started for land clearance for agriculture.
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