Aerial view of burnt vegetation next to a luxury condominium in the city of Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on August 25, 2024. Agence France-Presse RIBEIRÃO, Brazil — The Brazilian government is deploying military aircraft as part of a “war” against wildfires ravaging the southeastern state of Sao Paulo, where dozens of cities are on high alert, officials said Sunday. Following a crisis meeting of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s cabinet, Environment Minister Marina Silva announced a “war against the fire” and said federal police were investigating the “atypical situation” that has caused extensive damage and disruption.
Tarcisio de Freitas, the Sao Paulo governor, decreed a state of emergency in 45 municipalities and said two people suspected of starting fires had been arrested. READ: Record number of forest fires in Brazil Amazon With dense smoke drifting across a wide swath of Brazil — even reaching capital city Brasilia 720 kilometers (450 miles) to the north — several flights have been canceled and travel on some roads has been halted. “I stuck my nose out last night around 7:00 pm and I had a lot of trouble breathing,” 66-year-old retiree Carlos Rodrigues told AFP.
“I’ve lived here 32 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.” Two factory workers died Friday in Urupes, in the northern part of the state, while fighting a fire, officials said. READ: Brazilians ‘struggling to breathe’ as Amazon burns The military aircra.