Multitude of Brazilian Cities on Alert with Deadly Wildfires Raging

A few people have passed away because of the wildfires raging along in Brazil.

The capital São Paulo has been shrouded in a haze / Reuters

Brazil has been hit hard by wildfire recently, which has led to 30 cities being put on alert, according to the São Paulo state government. At least two people have lost their lives. The deaths were two people working at an industrial plant in Urupes who were attempting to fight the fire.

Flames and smoke led to traffic delays on the highway. São Paulo has been covered in a gray haze as the air is being filled with ash of whatever is being burned.

The cause of the wildfires has been warming temperatures mixed with very low humidity, creating dangerously dry conditions. In an extended drought, it was the unfortunate perfect recipe for disaster.

The wildfires have been spreading rapidly because of gusts of wind, too. That has led the government to send warnings as things can get out of hand quickly.

"São Paulo is facing a difficult time and we are committed, joining forces, to control the fires and keep people safe.

"We were in the field throughout the day to ensure a prompt response to the most affected areas, such as Piracicaba, Barrinha, Sertãozinho and Ribeirão Preto. We will not rest until the situation is back to normal,” Governor Tarcísio de Freitas said in a statement on X.

People’s livelihoods are being greatly impacted by the fires. Raizen, the biggest processor of sugar cane in the world, has shut down operations since Thursday because of their fields near the plant being damaged by the wildfires.

Unfortunately, the wildfire season in Brazil has started earlier this year than in recent history. The damage has intensified as well, leading to several natural disasters already in 2024.

Major weather events have been hitting Brazil with some regularity recently. In June, there were massive fires in the Pantanal wetlands. Almost 32,000 hectares of land were destroyed.

In May, at least 170 people died in a once-in-a-lifetime flooding event that occurred at Rio Grade do Sul. Along with the reported deaths, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced because of the devastation.