The BIG FIRE Starts!

On Jul 23, 2006 we had gone to São Joao de Boa Vista early in the afternoon. As we drove back into town at 4:30 we saw smoke rising high into the air over Águas da Prata. We joked that someone must be having a really big BBQ.




Here is what we saw as we entered town.




We drove closer and realized it was a fire in the forest on the mountainside on the east side of town.




It wasn't very big at this time and probably could have been put out easily if anybody wanted to bother.




Finally someone started to take it seriously as it approached close to this Pousada (Hotel). Someone called the Bombeiros (Fire Department) but they are in São Joa da Boa Vista several km away and didn't respond to fight the fire.




The fire got worse as it started to climb the mountain.




Then it started to spread rapidly across the mountain top. Still no help came.




The smoke and flames spread some more.




The fire started right beside this house. Police believe it was started deliberately.




We watched from the main highway through town. Cars and trucks drove by and drivers were likely unaware of the fire just over their heads. If you didn't look up you




This is another burn, right at the road side. But I found out later it was from three days earlier in the exact place where this day's fire started.




We went home as it got darker and the fire seemed to be burning itself out.




At around 8 p.m. I went into our bedroom and I could hear a crackling noise. I looked out the window. There, across the river, on the east side of the valley, the mountain was totally engulfed in flames. These night shots don't give even a hint at how awesome the fire had become.




In the total darkness the flames were all you could see because of the smoke. The crackling noise of the fire was very loud.




I took my camera and went down to the river to get a better look at what was happening.




By this time the fire was coming back down the mountain and came within 100 meters of the Shell Station. By 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. Bombeiros (Firemen) had shown up from as far away as Campinas. Even the Federal Police Firemen were there. But you couldn't see them in the darkness.




The fire was spreading rapidly around the mountain to the other side and over the top as well.




It was now burning close to houses and commercial buildings.




Brasileiros took all this in stride. I saw a group of them in a tavern drinking calmly. Their rationale was "Fire burns up Hill." or "It happens every year. So why worry about it?" The fire was only 50 meters from that tavern and they never budged.




When the fire rounded the corner it came right up to the walls of houses.




There were hot spots everywhere!




I expected to see total devastation by daylight as it kept burning through the night.



Photos by Urso Branco