  The luminosity of the Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR) flares significantly exceeds
the Eddington luminosity. This is because they emit mainly in the E-mode, for
which the radiative cross-sections are strongly suppressed. The energy is
released in the magnetosphere forming a magnetically trapped pair fireball, and
the surface of the star is illuminated by the powerful radiation from the
fireball. We study the ablation of the matter from the surface by this
radiation. The E-mode photons are scattered within the surface layer, partly
being converted into O-photons, whose scattering cross-section is of the order
of the Thomson cross-section. The high radiation pressure of the O-mode
radiation expels the plasma upwards. The uplifted matter forms a thick baryon
sheath around the fireball. If an illuminated fraction of the star's surface
includes the polar cap, a heavy, mildly relativistic baryonic wind is formed.
