São Paulo (Reuters) – The São Paulo state government has formed a crisis management team to address wildfires that have put 30 Brazilian cities on high alert.

The fires have claimed two lives and the resulting smoke has disrupted traffic on dozens of highways, while a gray haze has enveloped the capital, São Paulo. High temperatures and low humidity levels are increasing the risk of fires in the state, which has been suffering from a prolonged drought.

The local government reported that two workers at an industrial plant in the city of Orlândia lost their lives on Friday while fighting a fire, without providing further details, according to Reuters.

Brazil has recently experienced massive wildfires in the Pantanal wetlands and widespread flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.The state government has also cautioned that strong winds could cause wildfires to spread quickly, posing a serious threat to large areas of natural vegetation.

Governor Tarcísio de Freitas said in a social media post: “We currently have 30 cities on high alert for major fires, and we are working to control the situation and ensure safety.”

In a separate post later, he added: “São Paulo is going through a tough time, and we are committed to uniting forces to control the fires and keep people safe.

“We’ve been on the ground all day to ensure a swift response in the most affected areas, such as Piracicaba, Bariri, Sertãozinho, and Ribeirão Preto. We won’t rest until the situation returns to normal.”

Meanwhile, a thick gray haze has blanketed the state capital, São Paulo.

The government warned in a statement that “the fires could spread quickly with gusting winds.”

“The statement noted that the fires are releasing thick, toxic smoke, which is harmful to both the environment and human health. This smoke is leading to respiratory problems and cardiovascular issues.”

The situation in São José do Rio Preto, a city of 480,000 people, had become dire. In just a few days, over 335 fires were reported, forcing closures across the area. according to AFP.

Brazil has faced several extreme weather events recently, including a massive wildfire in the Pantanal wetlands this past June. At that time, climate experts said this year’s wildfire season began earlier and was more intense than in previous years.

Earlier this year, in May, Brazil also experienced once-in-a-century floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which left over 170 people dead and displaced more than half a million from their homes.