Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Brazil Deploys Military Planes to Tackle Wildfires

POSTED ON August 26, 2024 •   World      BY Benedicta Bassey
Wildfire/ Photo credit: Le Monde

The Brazilian government said it is deploying military aircraft to battle against wildfires ravaging the southeastern state of Sao Paulo, officials said on Sunday.

According to Official report, dozens of cities are on high alert following the wildfires.

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 situation that has caused extensive damage and disruption.

The Sao Paulo governor, Tarcisio de Freitas has decreed a state of emergency in 45 municipalities and said two people suspected of starting fires had been arrested.

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.

The military aircraft being deployed include a KC-390 Embraer, a converted troop transport craft that can drop up to 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water on fire zones.

The Embraer was sent to one of the cities most threatened, Ribeirao Preto, about 300 kilometers from Sao Paulo.

But Minister Silva said the plane “was unable to operate because of the amount of smoke,” adding: “That gives you an idea of the problem.”

Videos posted on social media showed the city plunged into near-darkness by a dense layer of smoke. Some residents have had to evacuate.

Around the region, farm fields have burned and scores of cattle have died.

Governor de Freitas said 10 million reais (around $1.8 million) was being allocated to help farmers who lose crops or livestock.

Amid prolonged drought, Sao Paulo state is experiencing its worst month for fires in decades, with 3,480 separate blazes identified, according to INPE, the National Institute for Space Research.

AFP

READ ALSO
Trump Launches Investigation into Kamala Harris over Celebrity Endorsements
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 19, 2025 0

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to initiate a “major investigation...

READ ALSO
Trade Tensions Rise as South Korea and U.S. Prepare for Key Discussions
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 16, 2025 0

AFP - South Korea is prepared to restart tariff discussions with Washington during an important APEC...

READ ALSO
Will Pope Leo XIV Lose His American Citizenship? A Legal and Diplomatic Puzzle Unfolds
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 14, 2025 0

VATICAN CITY – When Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV on May 8, he beca...

READ ALSO
China, Nigeria Strengthen Diplomatic Ties through Cultural Exchange
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 12, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - China and Nigeria are seeking to strengthen their diplomatic ties through cultural...

READ ALSO
Human Rights Monitors Urge UN Action Against U.S. Mass Deportations of Migrants
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 9, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Human Rights Monitors, a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), is urging...

READ ALSO
JUST IN : Vatican appoint New Pope
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 8, 2025 0

The Vatican has appointed Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, marking him as the 267th leader o...

READ ALSO
EU Unveils Plan to Eliminate Russian Gas Imports by 2027
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 8, 2025 0

The EU introduced a long-awaited initiative to eliminate its remaining gas imports from Russia by th...

READ ALSO
ECOWAS Leaders Call for Action against High Airfares to Boost Regional Integration
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 7, 2025 0

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Mémounatou Ibrahima and other stakeholders have decried the...

OUR CHANNELS:

Yahaya Signs Electricity Bill to Foster Investment and Regulation
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

Governor Inuwa Yahaya has officially enacted the Gombe State Electricity Bill, 2025. This announce...


LASG shut 5 Orphanages, Rescued over 200 children Amid Child Trafficking
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

The Lagos State government has closed down five orphanages over the past year due to issues such as...


FG to Auction 753 Housing Units Recovered from Ex-CBN Governor Emefiele
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Federal Government has declared its intention to sell 753 housing units that we...


Emir Removes Village Chief Amid Kidnapping, Sexual Assault Allegations
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

KASTINA, Nigeria - The village chief of Mantau in Yarmaulu, Baure Local Government Area of Katsina S...


Leon Balogun Bids Farewell to Rangers, After Contract Expires
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

Leon Balogun, a defender for the Nigerian national football team, has left Scottish club Rangers Foo...


Verydarkman to Compensate Falana and Falz in Character Defamation Case
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

A social media celebrity, Martins Otse, popularly called Verydarkman, has been mandated by a Lagos H...


FRSC, Amotekun Collaboration to Recover Stolen Vehicle
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

The Osun State Security Network, known as Amotekun Corps, has reported the recovery of a vehicle and...


CBN Holds Interest Rate Steady at 27.50% Amid Inflation Concerns and Economic Recovery Efforts
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has once again held its benchmark inte...


I AM IGBO by Blood, Davido Affirms Igbo Heritage
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

Nigerian music star David Adeleke, aka Davido has responded to a controversial social media post tha...


Soyinka Urges Youth to Embrace Ancestral Languages for Cultural Identity
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 22, 2025 0

Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has emphasized the importance of promoting Nigeria's indigenous la...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu