Brazil has launched a military operation to combat wildfires devastating the southeastern state of Sao Paulo, with authorities warning that arsonists are responsible for setting many of the blazes.
After a crisis meeting led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Environment Minister Marina Silva declared a “war against the fire” and stated that federal police are investigating the “unusual situation” causing widespread destruction.
“So far, no fires have been linked to lightning, which suggests people are deliberately starting them,” President Lula said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) after his meeting with Silva.
Sao Paulo’s governor, Tarcisio de Freitas, declared a state of emergency in 45 municipalities within the state’s 44 million population and reported that two suspects had been arrested for allegedly starting fires.
President Lula promised federal support, noting that 3,000 firefighters are already battling the fires nationwide.
Dense smoke has spread across Brazil, even reaching the capital city of Brasilia, located 720 kilometers (450 miles) to the north, leading to flight cancellations and road closures.
“I stepped outside around 7:00 pm last night, and I could barely breathe,” said 66-year-old retiree Carlos Rodrigues. “I’ve lived here for 32 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
In the northern part of the state, two factory workers died on Friday in Urupes while trying to extinguish a fire, according to officials.
Among the military aircraft being deployed is a KC-390 Embraer, a modified troop transport capable of dropping 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water on fire zones.
The Embraer was sent to Ribeirao Preto, a city of 700,000 people located about 300 kilometers from Sao Paulo, which is one of the most threatened areas. However, Silva mentioned that the plane “couldn’t operate due to the heavy smoke,” highlighting the severity of the situation.
Videos circulating on social media showed the city shrouded in thick smoke, plunging it into near darkness, with some residents forced to evacuate.
“It’s like the apocalypse,” a voice can be heard saying in one of the videos.
Authorities were hopeful that rains on Sunday would help mitigate the crisis.
In the region, farmland has been scorched, and numerous cattle have perished.
Governor de Freitas announced a 10 million reais (approximately $1.8 million) fund to assist farmers who have lost crops or livestock.
Amid a prolonged drought, Sao Paulo is experiencing its worst fire season in decades, with 3,480 separate blazes recorded, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
The government attributed the crisis directly to climate change.
“We must tackle climate change intelligently and with financial support from the wealthiest nations that have already destroyed their forests,” said a government official.
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