Brazil and large swathes of Latin America are battling severe wildfires this year, even in traditionally wet regions, as they grapple with a prolonged drought. The effects of human-caused climate change are upending the lives of millions across the continent while threatening key sectors of the region's economy, from agriculture to energy production.

Brazil Bears the Brunt

Brazil, a country of continental proportions with diverse climates home to a third of the planet's tropical forests, has been the most affected. The crisis, which began in August, has been aggravated by severe drought in many areas.

In São Paulo, South America's largest metropolis, grey skies have persisted for the past week. The smog has caused a spike in hospital admissions and further snarled the city's already congested traffic. Meanwhile, the capital Brasília and the northern state of Bahia are also fighting wildfires.

The Amazon region is not spared, with river levels already lower than normal. In a stark contrast, the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul suffered its worst floods on record in May, bringing the state's economy - Brazil's fifth largest - to a standstill for over a month.

Fires Everywhere

On September 15, São Paulo state's Civil Defence reported ongoing fires in eight municipalities. The state government has mobilised all available aerial resources, deploying five fixed-wing and eight rotary-wing aircraft to combat the blazes.

In a related development, São Paulo's major Pinheiros River has turned emerald green due to an algae bloom caused by the drought.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva personally surveyed the Brasília National Park on September 15, where a fire has already consumed 1,200 hectares.

The last major fire there was recorded in 2022, and at the time, it burned over 7,700 hectares, equivalent to 20% of the area.

In Bahia, firefighters have been battling a blaze for 30 days in the Serra do Cipó region, hampered by high temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity.

Government Response

Critics have accused the Brazilian government of being slow to respond when the crisis started in August. However, the scale of the wildfires is unprecedented, challenging the country's traditional image as a tropical paradise with abundant rainfall.

After thousands of hectares were lost to flames, Lula's cabinet announced measures to help residents and municipalities in the areas most affected by the drought. The government is now planning to create a National Climate Agency to address extreme weather events, a plan that had been repeatedly delayed since Lula took office for the third time in January 2023.

A Continental Crisis

The climate emergency extends beyond Brazil's borders. Satellite data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) recorded 346,112 fire outbreaks across all 13 South American countries as of September 11, surpassing the previous record set in 2007, CNN Brasil reported.

Recent satellite imagery revealed a smoke corridor stretching diagonally across the continent from Colombia to Uruguay. Despite efforts by Brazilian and Bolivian authorities, the blazes continue unabated, fuelled by extreme temperatures and challenging weather conditions.

As Latin America faces this climate crisis, it's clear that the region has become a testing ground for some of climate change's harshest effects, with consequences that reverberate across its diverse ecosystems and economies.