Wildfires tore through sugarcane fields in São Paulo state this weekend, turning skies gray and forcing residents indoors. Thick smoke from the blazes led to canceled soccer matches, highway closures, and heartbreaking losses for farmers. 🚒💨
In Ribeirão Preto, a Brazilian championship soccer game was called off as officials banned outdoor activities. Local farmers like Silvio Dantas described helplessness amid the chaos: \"The firefighters can’t control the flames. The fire has burned plants, destroyed houses, and killed cattle. This is very tough.\" 🐄🌫️
With 36 cities on high alert, São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas launched emergency measures, deploying planes to spray water over flames. Tragically, two firefighters lost their lives battling a blaze at a sugar mill in Urupês. 💔🚁
The fires also hit global markets: Raizen, the world’s largest sugarcane processor, paused operations at a plant in Sertãozinho. While skies cleared in São Paulo City by Saturday, the crisis highlights the brutal impact of dry-season wildfires. 📉🌍
