Aug wildfires in Brazilian state surge eightfold

Fires in Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state, increased eightfold in August from the same month last year, an "alarming rate" amid extreme climate conditions that harm the sugarcane industry, sector associations said.

The state had 11,628 fire outbreaks last month, more than triple the historic average of 3,550. Nearly half of the fires took place on 23 August alone, according to data from industry association Canaoeste and fire monitoring network GMG Ambiental. Fires hit 658,600 hectares.

The town of Pitangueira had the most blazes, at 354. Altinopolis and Sertaozinho came in second and third, with 252 and 296, respectively. Nearly all of the most affected towns have high production of sugarcane.

The groups highlighted that 20-24 August fires happened as low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds put Sao Paulo in "extreme risk" for wildfires.

The data was shown in a meeting with several industry representatives, such as Canoeste, Unica and Orplana.

The groups added that sugarcane producers were not responsible for the fires nor were benefiting from them, defending themselves from accusations that they could be lighting fires to accelerate harvesting — an old common practice supposedly abolished.

By Maria Ligia Barros