International News: Wildfires rage across 30 cities in Brazil, claiming two lives

Posted: Saturday, August 24, 2024. 9:54 am CST.

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: Wildfires are currently impacting 30 cities in São Paulo state, Brazil, with two confirmed fatalities reported as of Friday evening.

The victims, employees of an industrial plant in Urupês, died while attempting to combat the blaze.

The fires have been fueled by recent hot, dry weather, according to a state government statement.

Authorities have warned that strong winds could exacerbate the situation, potentially devastating large tracts of natural vegetation.

According to Reuters, smoke has obscured parts of the sky over the state capital.

In response to the crisis, the São Paulo state government has established an emergency committee to manage the wildfire situation.

The fires have also led to the partial or complete closure of approximately 15 highways.

Brazil’s wildfire season usually peaks in August and September.

This year, however, wildfires began earlier than usual, starting in the Pantanal wetlands in late May and reaching a two-decade high for fires in the Amazon rainforest by July, according to government data.

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