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Three arson presumes arrested for setting fires in Brazil farmland

3 men have actually been jailed on suspicion of setting fires that have damaged thousands of hectares of sugarcane plantations in northern Sao Paulo state, its Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Monday.

The fires spread quickly into the weekend through parched fields at the peak of Brazil's dry season in a region that has not had rain for months. Clouds of smoke cloaked nearby cities where outside activities were limited, and highways and airport operations interfered with due to low visibility.

We had an explosive combination of 3 factors: high temperature, very strong winds and extremely low relative humidity in the last few days. So, anything might trigger an ignition, Freitas stated at a press conference.

He said 3 guys were detained in the region and presumed of starting the fires. Regional media stated they were captured with containers of gasoline.

In Ribeirao Preto, a city in the most afflicted region in the west of Sao Paulo state, school classes were canceled on Monday.

The guv said there were no brand-new fires burning in the sugarcane fields however lots of towns were still on high alert for more blazes.

Freitas estimated the damage to farm crops from the fires at more than 1 billion reais ($ 182 million).

São Paulo is the largest sugar-producing state in Brazil, the world's leading producer and exporter of the sweetener.

Brazil's biggest sugar group Raizen SA stated it resumed operations at its Santa Elisa mill on Sunday. The plant needed to be evacuated on Thursday due to the proximity of fires.

(source: Reuters)