Only four months after the flood that destroyed much of the South of Brazilnow it is fire that threatens the entire South American country. At this moment there are more than 5 thousand active fires, according to data from INPE Queimadas Program (National Institute for Space Research).
From January to September, they are already 11.39 million hectares of the country’s territory destroyed by fire, 200% more than last year. Of these, 5.65 million hectares in August alone, or 49% of this year’s total, the Mapbiomas website informed.
An alarming situation that has direct impacts on the economy and the health of Brazilians, but in the long term it will have consequences for the whole world. Just think that the forests of the Cerrado and the Amazon were the ones that burned the most, representing respectively 43% and 35% of the entire area burned in the period.
The Cerrado has lost 106,677 square kilometers of forest; the Amazon, 62,268 square kilometers; and the Atlantic Forest, 29,211 square kilometers. In September, 79 forest parks were closed due to fire risk.
A large cloud of smoke already covers a large part of the nation, with the winds also carrying it to neighboring countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. For several days the city of São Paulo, with around 20 million inhabitants, was considered the most polluted metropolis in the world.
The Swiss site IQAir, which monitors air quality in large cities, rated the index of the Paulista capital at 160 points (considered “unhealthy”), surpassing metropolises known for pollution such as New Delhi, India, and Karachi , in Pakistan. Smoke from fires releases toxic gases and fine particles that damage the lung alveoli.
According to experts, around 180 mega tons of carbon have been released this year alone, with 60 mega tons of gas emitted in September, mainly from the Amazon biome. The healthcare system is already preparing to expect a wave of respiratory and lung problems.
In addition to health, tourism and the economy suffer from the fires and this will soon be felt in Italy too. The impact on agriculture, which represents 25% of Brazilian GDP, is devastating.
Fires destroy crops, pastures and forests used for cultivation and livestock, reducing the supply of foods such as meat and cereals. In the short term, this translates into significant increases in food prices and, in the long term, undermines the environmental balance essential for sustainable agriculture.
Arabica coffee, for example, of which Brazil is the main producer in the world, last year it was worth €135.00 (60 kg bag) and today it is sold for approximately €245.00. The same happens with sugar, 10% more expensive, and many other foods. For Brazilians it will also have a big impact on the cost of electricity, generated mainly by hydroelectric power plants. An increase of between 30% and 50% is expected in the coming months.
To date, the main question is what is behind this fire phenomenon never seen before in Brazil. Of course, climate change is a decisive factor, with drought and heat waves, but according to data collected by the Laboratory of Environmental Satellite Applications (Lasa) of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 99% of fires are arson. You could say that a great many are criminal fires.
For what reasons? These investigations are currently one of the priorities of the Federal Police, especially because Brazil will have local elections on October 6, and these fires may be motivated by political issues. What is certain is the fact that fires in Brazil are closely linked to land use, to economic activities, mainly linked to deforestation for open areas intended for grazing and agriculture.
Pastures currently represent one hectare in four burned, or 24% of the total. According to Gilberto Marques, professor of economics at UFPA, fires are forms of appropriation of property, be it public lands, land in indigenous territories or even the reduction of local reserves. Previously the mechanism of cutting down the forest and then setting it on fire was used, now it is set on fire directly. Illegal mining, land grabbing and illegal logging are also criminal economic activities who use fire and cause fires.
