Brazilian government suspects arson behind São Paulo fires

The Brazilian government has called in the Federal Police to investigate the possible criminal origins of the fires that spread across the state of São Paulo this week. The information was confirmed this Sunday (Aug. 25) by the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, speaking from the headquarters of the National Center for Preventing and Combating Forest Fires (Prevfogo) in Brasília.

The minister stated that the government is investigating the possibility of criminal activity similar to the 'Day of Fire' on August 10, 2019, when coordinated actions by criminals set fire to over 470 rural properties. “There is a strong suspicion that it’s happening again,” she remarked.

“Right now, we are waging a real war against both fire and crime. In São Paulo, it is highly unusual for multiple fire fronts to erupt across several municipalities simultaneously within just two days,” Silva emphasized, reinforcing suspicions of criminal activity. “We must stop setting fires,” she urged. “This is not just a state or municipal issue; these fires harm all of Brazil,” she added.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, along with other officials, attended the situation room established two months ago at Prevfogo to monitor the fires. He pledged federal resources and actions to combat the flames, acknowledging the challenges in extinguishing them. “We put out the fire, turn our backs, and it flares up again,” he remarked.

Minister Marina Silva believes the situation could have been far worse if the federal government had not proactively prepared for a potential rise in fires from the beginning of Lula's term. She emphasized, “It's not true that the federal government failed.”

Silva noted that the Brazilian Air Force's KC-390 aircraft has been made available to assist with the aftermath of the fires. However, she reported that the plane is still unable to operate safely due to the heavy smoke.

This Sunday, Brasília, the capital, dawned with several neighborhoods shrouded in smoke - Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

Investigations

Alongside the minister, Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues confirmed that there are currently 31 investigations into criminal activities related to the Amazon fires, 20 investigations concerning the Pantanal, and two investigations into incidents in São Paulo. "We have mobilized our 15 police stations across São Paulo to address these fire-related issues in the state," Rodrigues stated.

The director-general also explained that the government has tools capable of tracing satellite images back to the origin of the hotspots, which will significantly aid the investigations. The police's involvement is warranted by the impact of the fires on critical areas of federal interest, including airport operations.

On Sunday (25), the São Paulo government reported that 21 cities in the state currently have active hotspots, while 46 additional cities are on high alert for potential fires.

Smoke

The smoke from the fires in São Paulo and other regions has been carried by favorable winds to central parts of the country. For instance, this Sunday, Brasília, the capital, dawned with several neighborhoods shrouded in smoke. This phenomenon, exacerbated by dry weather, has also been observed in other capitals.