Fires in Brasil: The Brasilian Lawnmower

Introducing the Brasilian Lawnmower

I became aware of the Brasilian Lawnmower in April of 2006.

It seems that manual, gas or electric lawnmowers are either impractical or too expensive. Either that or Brasilians just don't want to take the time to cut the grass!

So they invented the Brasilian Lawnmower.

I saw it in action for the first time on April 21, 2006. I saw this smoke across town so I walked over to investigate and was startled to see this sight in the middle of the town. A fellow was clearing the grass from a city lot.

As I watched the fire spread rapidly. But no one seemed to care! No firemen were called. No one came. The fires just spread to the walls around the lot and stopped. What was I all excited about?

But that was not all we were to experience. In May we had a big surpise. See the Post "The Fires get Closer to Home " for more photos and descriptions of another fogo. Look at the smoke on the street near our home!

The next BIG event began on July 23, 2006. We were coming home from São Joao da Boa Vista when we saw the beginnings of the BIG FIRE of 2006. See the Post "The BIG FIRE Starts". This fire burned for three days.

On Day 2 it was burning vigourously on the other side of the mountain. A second fire had been criminaly set in Fonte Platina (an area of Águas da Prata) and joined the first fire then spread into farms including an Ostrich farm. See the Post "Day Two of the Fire". It burned for one more day.

Then on August 4, 2006 I went up the mountain to inspect the damage. It was awful. See the Post "After the Fire - Devastation Part 1" then the next Post "After the Fire - Devastation Part 2" for more photos.

After the fire was burned out and before I went up the mountain to inspect the damage there was another fire set in town. Once again our street filled with smoke.

This is unbelievable. These two pics were taken at noon. Some fool was clearing the grass again.

You would think that that was the end of the story. But alas no! More FOGOS continued in late August through September.

These are special fires, set on purpose by the farmers who are harvesting cane to make alcool. See the Post "Fogo! Cane Fires". We woke up to the smell of smoke in the house again and then saw this coming over the mountain, on the west side of the valley this time.

These cane fires continued through September everywhere they were harvesting the cane.

Three Months later, on October 28, 2006 I went for a hike up the mountain to the north of town and took this photo showing how the east mountain is coming back. It is now a lush green again. See the Post "Fogo! Rejuvenation Three Months Later".