Large-scale fires are spreading in the southern Mato Grosso do Sul Pantanal, from Aquidauana (MS) to the border with Bolivia. In one of the most affected areas, in Corumbá (MS), a truck caught fire after getting stuck in an area of sand and dry vegetation. The incident was recorded on video.

For a week, flames from the vehicle have been spreading through the vegetation, invading farms, and have burned about 80,000 hectares so far, according to the Mato Grosso do Sul Military Fire Department. The cause of the truck fire is under investigation.

Colonel Adriano Noleto Rampazo, of the Fire Department, states that the fire took on large proportions due to the drought combined with the strength of the winds in the region, which can have gusts of up to 60 km/h, making it impossible to fight the fire.

This Thursday (1st) and Friday (2nd), Folha toured critical areas in the region.

The dry season has not yet reached its peak, so the critical situation may persist in the coming months. Traditionally, the peak of fires in the Pantanal occurs in September, but in 2024, the season has started earlier.

Read the article in the original language