Rare 'fire tornado' hits Brazil

Brush fires and strong dry winds have caused a fire tornado in the Brazilian municipality of Aracatuba.

A whirlwind of flame, spiralling several metres high, danced across burning fields, bringing traffic to a halt on a nearby highway, before it dissolved, as rapidly as it appeared.

The mini-firestorm followed weeks of drought which led to brush fires across the country.

Local media reported that in Sao Paulo humidity levels were similar to those of the Sahara desert. It's been three months since it last rained and the metropolis is already being hit by high air pollution levels.

Authorities in Sao Paulo State have forbidden farmers from burning the field waste from the of the sugar cane field waste, a typical after-harvest activity.

In the most remote areas municipalities with few resources have been unable to contain them.