No fewer than four men have been arrested on suspicion of setting ablaze thousands of hectares of sugarcane fields in Brazil’s northern city of Sao Paulo.
The fire, which spread rapidly, was fueled by parched fields and dry season conditions.
As gathered, clouds of smoke covered nearby cities, restricting outdoor activities and disrupting highway operations due to low visibility.
“We had an explosive combination of three factors: high temperature, very strong winds, and very low relative humidity in the last few days. So, anything could cause an ignition,” Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said at a press conference on Monday.
He said three suspects were arrested in the region with containers of gasoline to start fires, and a fourth man was arrested on Monday when he was caught setting fire to grass.
Freitas estimated the damage to farm crops from the fires at more than 1 billion reais ($182 million).
Federal police are investigating the fires on suspicion of arson.
Dry weather has increased the frequency of wildfires across Brazil this year, including in the Amazon region.
According to environmental experts, higher temperatures brought by climate change and widespread deforestation have contributed to the doubling of the number of fires this season.
In Ribeirao Preto, a city in western Sao Paulo state, school classes were canceled on Monday due to the smoke-filled atmosphere.
Sao Paulo’s governor said there were no new fires burning in the sugarcane fields, but dozens of towns were still on high alert for more blazes.
Sao Paulo is the largest sugar-producing state in Brazil and the world’s top producer and exporter of sugar.
