Fires in Brazil and Bolivia cause 'black rain' across South America

Vast stretches of forests, fields, and meadows in Brazil and Bolivia are being consumed by fires, causing smoke carried by the wind to reach other countries on the continent, such as Uruguay and Paraguay, resulting in a phenomenon known as "black rain," reports the Spanish-language station BBC.

44-year-old Brazilian farmer Tiago Klug reported the threat of "black rain," so he decided to conduct an experiment. He placed a clean white bucket in his yard, away from buildings, to collect rainwater falling "directly from the clouds." The next day, the water in the bucket had a darker-than-usual coloration.

I have never seen anything like this. It was very sad – he told BBC News Brasil journalists.

The phenomenon of "black rain" occurs when water mixes with soot carried by fire smoke. Meteorologist Estael Sias from MetSul explained that when soot is exposed to moisture, it can become condensation nuclei, around which rain droplets gather.

"With the onset of rain, the atmosphere begins the process of cleaning. The result of this is black rain," added Sias. Experts reassure that soot-contaminated precipitation has a dark coloration and can cause stains but is generally not toxic.

Black rain can cause damage, but it is believed that the smoke resulted from the burning of organic matter, that is forests and grasses – said Gilberto Collares, a water engineering professor at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL).

Professor Collares also added: "If, in addition to these components, there were potentially toxic industrial wastes, it would create something we call acid rain, which is potentially much more dangerous.

According to estimates by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), fires have destroyed over 13.8 million acres of forest and meadowland in Brazil since August. In Bolivia, over the past three months, more than 9.4 million acres of forests and meadows have burned, and the authorities there declared a state of emergency last week.