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Brazil is facing its most severe drought in over seventy years, affecting 59% of the nation. This vast area, nearly half the size of the U.S., is experiencing extreme dryness. Major rivers in the Amazon basin are at historic lows, and uncontrolled wildfires are devastating protected regions, spreading smoke and reducing air quality.
Smoke on Monday afternoon caused Sao Paulo, a metropolitan area of 21 million people, to breathe the second most polluted air in the world after Lahore, Pakistan, according to data gathered by IQAir, a Swiss air technology company.
Amazon River Levels Drop
More than 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Chapada dos Veadeiros to the Northeast, the Amazon — the world's most voluminous river — and one of its main tributaries, the Madeira River, have registered new daily record lows at the city of Tabatinga. There's no end sight — significant rain is not expected until October.
Low river levels have stranded dozens of communities only accessible by water. One of the largest is Fidadelfia, inhabited by 387 families of the Tikuna tribe. Due to the drought, there is shortage of potable water and children are drinking dirty water, leading to a surge in illnesses.
Wildfires Ravage Protected Areas
About 1,100 kilometers (683 miles) to the north, a wildfire is sweeping through Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, one of Brazil's most famous tourism sites. "This year, the dry season started much earlier than in previous years," Nayara Stacheski told The Associated Press. "The wind is strong, the air humidity is very low and it's extremely hot. All this worsens the wildfire."
On Monday, there was one uncontrolled wildfire in a remote area. A helicopter was expected to arrive to transport firefighters. Another fire was controlled by 80 firefighters with support from two aircraft. Two other fires were threatening to enter the park.
Impact on Local Communities
Tikuna sent a selfie taken Monday in her community. Instead of water, endless banks of sand dominate the landscape. "This used to be the Amazon River," she said. "Now it's a desert. If things get worse, our people will disappear."
"Now we are realizing the severity of climate change," Myrian Tikuna told AP as she described how food scarcity and travel difficulties are increasing due to dying crops and low river levels.
Record Number of Fires
The blazes in one of the few protected areas of Cerrado are just part of Brazil's ongoing crisis with fires this year. From January until September 8th, Brazil recorded nearly 160,000 fires—the worst since 2010. In Pantanal, it has been the second-worst fire year on record.
Ana Paula Cunha from Brazil's National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters stated: "This is the first time that a drought has covered all the way from North to Southeast." She added that it’s "the most intense and widespread drought in history."
Most fires are manmade as part of deforestation or clearing land for agriculture and pastures. So far this year an area equivalent to Italy has burned in Brazil.
This unprecedented drought highlights Brazil's vulnerability to climate change impacts and underscores urgent need for sustainable environmental practices.
