They were thought to have vanished, blown away or shoved to the back of drawers. Now, they're making a comeback, appearing in public spaces and indoors alike. Surgical masks used during the Covid-19 pandemic are making a return to daily life in Brazil. This time, they're not being used to protect against a virus but against the pollution caused by the forest fires ravaging the country.
Over 60% of the territory, or 5 million square kilometers, is now covered by smoke. A thick, grayish slick, visible from space and felt acutely on the ground. In the last few days, in Porto Velho, in the Amazon, the level of fine particles (PM2.5) has exceeded 339 micrograms per cubic meter, 68 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization over one year. Meanwhile, Sao Paulo, South America's largest metropolitan area, has held the unenviable title of the "world's most polluted city" since Monday, September 9. It was conferred by the Swiss company IQAir, which monitors air quality in over a hundred major metropolises.
No neighborhood and no suburb is spared from this unsanitary cloak. "My throat is so dry and irritated that I had to go to the doctor," said Eliane Silva, a resident of the vast Paraisopolis favela, Sao Paulo, whom we met on Thursday. The 35-year-old domestic worker is suffering from an inflamed thyroid. She is far from the only one suffocating: Her sister, 37, has chronic sinusitis, and her 7-year-old daughter rhinitis. "We try to drink lots of water and avoid going out, but it's difficult and scary," said Silva.
Ten kilometers to the north, in Augusta Park, right in the center of town, the sounds of coughing and throat clearing compete with birdsong. "It's horrible! It's like we're in Chernobyl!" said Giovana Carolina, 20, who had come to sunbathe wearing a colorful bikini, despite the layer of smoke. A little further on, two friends, Caetano Nogueira Marques and Melissa Izabel, 21 and 19, were sitting on a bench, looking concerned. "Every day for a week now, I've had heavy nosebleeds," said Nogueira Marques, while Izabel has cut back on cigarettes. "I've been having dizzy spells and I can't walk and talk at the same time," she said.
Severely impacted by climate change, which is driving record temperatures during the southern hemisphere's winter, combined with the consequences of the El Niño phenomenon, Brazil is experiencing what is already considered the worst drought in its history. In 244 municipalities, the humidity level is equal to or lower than that of the Sahara. This has led to huge fires, often started intentionally: More than 176,000 have been recorded since the beginning of the year, by the National Institute for Space Research.
You have 58.35% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.