Historic wildfires in South America are causing a blanket of thick smoke to cover 80% of Brazil, leaving citizens struggling to breathe.
What's happening?
According to an AFP report, historic wildfires in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru have burned millions of acres of forest and farmland this year. As a result, a thick blanket of smoke is covering much of Brazil — and citizens are struggling to cope.
Recent satellite images from the National Institute for Space Research showed 80% of Brazil covered in choking smoke. Brazilian citizens are turning to face masks last used during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to try to protect themselves, AFP reported.
"When I go out, I put on my mask," 72-year-old Brazilian citizen Valderes Loyola told AFP.
The Rainforest Foundation estimates that a staggering 13.4 million acres of Brazil's Amazon have burned in 2024. It's an area larger than Costa Rica. The National Institute for Space Research documented more than 38,000 fire outbreaks in the Amazon during August, a 120% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to AFP, authorities blame human activity for most of the recent fires in Brazil, linking them to land clearing for agriculture. The country is also enduring a historic drought, fueling the fires.
"This is the first time that a drought has covered all the way from the North to the country's Southeast," National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters researcher Ana Paula Cunha told the Associated Press in a statement. "It is the most intense and widespread drought in history."
Why is understanding Brazil's historic smoke important?
South America's wildfires — and the resulting smoke in Brazil — are directly related to our planet's warming. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, climate change has led to "an increase in wildfire season length, wildfire frequency, and burned area."
Wildfire smoke can cause health impacts that range in severity, per the EPA. While some may experience respiratory tract irritation, others will have more serious issues, including the exacerbation of asthma, lung disease, cardiovascular problems, or even premature death. One recent study found that inhaling wildfire smoke can be as bad for your health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Recent research out of California, detailed by The New York Times, showed exposure to extreme heat and wildfire smoke caused a disproportionate number of hospitalizations for heart and lung ailments. The study also found that low-income communities were most at risk.
In one of the biggest hospitals in the capital of Brasília, the number of patients treated for respiratory problems in one period in September was more than 20 times higher than usual, according to AFP.
What's being done about heavy smoke pollution in Brazil?
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently signed a pact with local officials in the Amazon, the Pantanal wetlands, and other neighboring regions to prevent and control fires. It and associated initiatives will suspend burning authorizations during the country's dry season and when heat waves are expected.
In response to the fires, Greenpeace recently called for Brazilian officials to enforce penalties on those found responsible for illegal fires. The organization also asked the country to "enhance operational capacity for fire prevention and control."
If you are at risk from heavy smoke pollution from wildfires, a quality HEPA filter can improve your indoor air quality. Researchers also suggest cleaning your home by vacuuming, dusting, and mopping with a commercial, non-bleach solution to remove volatile organic compounds that settle during wildfires.
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