Brazil Declares 'War' on Fires Amid Smoke Crisis

Brazil's Environment Minister, Marina Silva, has declared a "war" on fire. A surge in blazes across the country, from the Amazon to São Paulo, has blanketed cities in smoke, grounded flights, and closed schools. Federal police are investigating the spike in wildfires, which some fear mirrors the 2019 "Day of Fire" under Bolsonaro's presidency.

Silva described the simultaneous burning of multiple municipalities as unprecedented. She visited the environment protection agency Ibama with President Lula, emphasizing the fight against both fire and crime.

The Amazon and the Pantanal wetland have faced severe fires this year, attributed to drought and El Niño. São Paulo, Brazil's economic powerhouse, has seen rural areas ravaged by flames, with social media flooded by images of smoky skies.

In Brasília, the capital, and nearby Goiânia, smoke disrupted daily life and air travel. Ibama's director, Rodrigo Agostinho, noted that while drought made areas vulnerable, fires are typically man-made, either for land clearance or malicious intent.

Firefighters struggle to contain the blazes, with fears of worsening conditions through October. Agostinho highlighted the challenge of extinguishing fires only to see them reignited nearby. The cycle must end.