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On October 2023, the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, was covered by a dense layer of smoke due to the uncontrolled spread of at least 16 man-made forest fires, transforming the city into the most contaminated city in the world, with an air quality index over 180 – surpassing in city of Begusarai (India) which had an average of 119 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

For almost a month, the population had to endure the smoke using masks, just like during the pandemic.
Classes were suspended in schools and universities, sports were banned, and the number of respiratory diseases rose in children and the elderly. The wildfires were so bad that the temperatures rose reached 40º C in the city, and up to 45º C in surrounding areas.