Wildfires have ravaged sugarcane fields in the northern part of Sao Paulo state, Brazil, on Saturday, enveloping nearby towns in thick smoke. The intensity of the fires led officials to ban outdoor sports, resulting in the cancellation of a Brazilian championship soccer match in Ribeirao Preto, a key city in the region.
Visibility was severely reduced as some state highways were closed, and local television broadcasts revealed heartbreaking scenes of cattle corpses succumbing to the heat and smoke inhalation. Farmer Silvio Dantas, 56, expressed his despair, stating, \"The firefighters are unable to control the flames. We can't do anything.\" He witnessed the devastation firsthand, with smoke columns rising ominously on the horizon.
\"The fire has burned plants, destroyed houses and killed cattle. This is very tough,\" Dantas added, highlighting the severe impact on both agriculture and local livelihoods.
The Sao Paulo government has declared 36 cities on \"high alert\" as the fires spread during the peak of the dry season, characterized by parched fields and soaring temperatures. Governor Tarcisio de Freitas announced the deployment of planes to spray water alongside fire department aircraft, establishing an emergency task force to combat the crisis.
Tragically, the fires have already claimed the lives of two firefighters in Urupes, near Ribeirao Preto, who were attempting to extinguish flames at a sugar mill. The blaze has destroyed 200 hectares of sugarcane plantation, severely impacting Raizen, the world's largest sugarcane processor, which has halted operations at its Sertaozinho plant since Thursday.
Sao Paulo City experienced heavy smoke on Friday, although the skies cleared somewhat by Saturday. The ongoing wildfires underscore the urgent need for effective firefighting resources and strategies to protect both lives and the agricultural sector in the region.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
