Three arson suspects arrested for setting fires in Brazil farmland

27/8/2024 7:40

        Three men have been arrested on suspicion of setting fires that have destroyed thousands of hectares of sugarcane plantations in northern Sao Paulo state, its Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday.
        
        The fires spread rapidly into the weekend through parched fields at the peak of Brazil's dry season in a region that hasnot had rain for months. Clouds of smoke cloaked nearby cities where outdoor activities were restricted, and highways and airport operations disrupted due to low visibility.
        
        "We had an explosive combination of three factors: high temperature, very strong winds and very low relative humidity in the last few days. So, anything could cause an ignition," Freitas said at a press conference.
        
        He said three men were arrested in the region and suspected of starting the fires. Local media said they were caught with containers of gasoline.