The state of São Paulo is experiencing an unprecedented situation with air pollution, fires and dry weather, according to the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb).
Cetesb states that this set of meteorological conditions has never occurred in the state since the company began taking measurements in 1985.
The region is experiencing an intense heat wave, dry weather and devastating fires throughout the state. See the weather updates in SP, this Wednesday (11):
- Heat wave – Almost the entire state of São Paulo is suffering from a “Great Danger” heat wave. The warning comes from the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet), which warns of temperatures 5°C above average for more than five days.
- Burns – The forest fires that worsened at the end of August destroyed thousands of hectares of vegetation in the state. Today, the region has 10 active fire outbreaks, according to the state Civil Defense.
- Relative humidity – About half of the state is on “High Danger” alert for low air humidity below 12%, according to Inmet. This level presents a high risk for forest fires and for the health of the population.
The situation is even more serious in the capital of São Paulo. The city of São Paulo has had the most polluted air in the world since Monday (9), according to the Swiss agency IQAir, which measures air quality in 100 metropolises around the world.
According to the latest Cetesb bulletin, the hot and dry air mass in the region could result in “very bad” air levels.
The state capital is expected to record a maximum temperature of 34°C today (11), according to Climatempo’s forecast. The agency also points out that the city is on alert for relative humidity of 20% to 12%.
The company assesses the quality of the atmosphere every minute through 57 stations distributed throughout the capital of São Paulo, the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, the interior and the coast of the state.
Between May and September, the company carries out Operation Winter and intensifies inspection and control actions for vehicles emitting toxic gases.
Pollutant emission
Cetesb’s operation takes place annually during a period marked by the unfavorable dispersion of pollutants, which worsen air quality.
On September 3, 38,000 diesel-powered vehicles were inspected and 457 were fined for excessive black smoke emissions. This was the company’s third inspection operation.
The company fined 445 cars in its first action in June out of more than 35,000 monitored. In August, more than 26,000 cars passed through monitoring points and 257 were penalized.
The fine for emitting black smoke above the standard permitted by environmental legislation is R$2,121.60. If the owner proves that the vehicle was subsequently repaired, the fine can be reduced by 70%.
Cetesb is also increasing inspections of fixed sources of pollution in the state, such as industries. The actions are intended to preserve the environment and the health of the population.
This content was originally published in Pollution, dry weather and fires: SP has an “unprecedented situation”, says Cetesb on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
