Emergency! Fires in 46 cities in São Paulo state, Brazil, affect coffee production in the new season

According to Brazilian media reports, due to the extraordinary increase in the number of forest fires in recent days, the government of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo said on the 24th that at least 36 cities in the state were on "high alert". On the 25th, the governor of Sao Paulo declared a 180-day state of emergency in 46 cities of the state.

According to the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research, more than 2300 fires broke out in the state of Sao Paulo on the 22nd and 23rd, breaking the national record. On the 24th, there were a total of 2605 fires, so the state government immediately set up a crisis management office and declared a state of emergency in 46 cities.

According to data, from the beginning of this year to August 24, the cumulative number of fires in the state of Sao Paulo has exceeded the sum of the previous two years. In addition, the state of Sao Paulo recorded 3175 fires in August, setting a 26-year high since records were recorded by the National Space Institute of Brazil.

According to media records, most of the areas ravaged by the fire are on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, and the urban area has not been directly affected by the fire, but the rural areas of Sao Paulo state are smoky and trees along several highways are burning. And wildfires have swept farmland north of Sao Paulo, smoke has enveloped nearby towns, and the local government has banned people from participating in outdoor sports.

The state of Sao Paulo is reported to be suffering from the worst wildfire in decades, with about 5000 fires in the whole of 2024. The situation is critical in the eastern city of San Jos é-Duskamps (Sao Jose dos Campos), where more than 300 fires broke out in the past two days, resulting in the closure of schools in the city, the worst of which is the city of Ribeirao Preto in the north. Earlier, two employees at a factory in Urupes died while trying to put out a fire and two others were arrested on suspicion of arson.

It is understood that wildfires in Brazil usually peak in August and September, but this year the climate is unusual, the weather is particularly hot and dry, and wildfires began to occur in Pantanal, Brazil's largest wetland, in late May. To this end, the governor of S ã o Paulo said he was working hard to deal with the fire, while warning that the current heat wave and drought caused the fire to spread, which could be exacerbated by strong winds.

In addition, affected by drought and surrounding fires, several cities in Brazil were shrouded in smoke and poor visibility, some state highways in Sao Paulo state were forced to be closed, and a number of flights at two nearby airports were cancelled, one of which was temporarily closed.

Although the current Brazilian coffee harvest has entered the end, the new season of coffee is in the growing period, but now the fire is serious, will seriously affect the new season of Brazilian coffee production. It is understood that the city of Ribeirao Preto, which has the worst fire, is the agricultural trade center of the district and neighboring states, and the city is surrounded by crops such as coffee and grains, which has a serious impact. And wildfires are sweeping farmland north of Sao Paulo, and Alta Mogiana, the best-known coffee producing area in Sao Paulo, is also in the north, which may be affected by the fire.

In addition, a number of state roads in Sao Paulo have been closed due to fires, which will affect the efficiency and timing of coffee transportation. And the fire will damage the local soil and lead to a decline in soil fertility. according to Brazil's meteorological department, Sao Paulo state will have cooling and rain in the next few days, but there may be "black rain" mixed with fire smoke particles. it will greatly affect the growth of coffee in the new season.

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