Wildfires Ravage Sao Paulo State: Two Dead, Cities on Alert

Wildfire outbreaks in Sao Paulo state have affected 30 cities and resulted in two deaths at an industrial plant. The fires, exacerbated by dry and hot weather, prompted the government to create an emergency committee. Raizen halted operations at a plant due to fires, and highways were blocked.

Sao Paulo state in Brazil reported that wildfires were affecting or closing in on 30 of its cities as of Friday evening, with two fatalities confirmed at an industrial plant where employees were trying to control the flames. The intense fires are being fueled by recent dry and hot weather conditions.

The state government has warned that strong gusts of wind could accelerate the spread of forest fires, threatening to destroy large areas of natural vegetation. Currently, there have been no reports of the flames directly reaching the city of Sao Paulo, the most populous city in Latin America with over 11 million residents.

Local media outlets reported that smoke was obstructing parts of the state capital's skyline. The government confirmed that two individuals died in Urupes while battling a fire but did not provide additional details. Meanwhile, Raizen, the world's largest sugarcane processor, announced that it had halted industrial operations at a plant in Sertaozinho because of fires in nearby sugarcane fields. An emergency committee has been established to address the crisis, with wildfires also causing partial or full blockages on 15 highways.

Wildfire season in Brazil typically peaks in August and September. However, this year, fires began unusually early in the Pantanal region in late May, and July saw a two-decade high in the number of Amazon rainforest fires.

(With inputs from agencies.)