Pantanal: 96% of wildfires have been extinguished or brought under control

Of the 55 wildfires recorded in the Pantanal by July 14, 31 have been completely extinguished and another 22 are under control. Only two remain active, representing 4% of the total of recorded fires that have been monitored by the federal and state governments. There are still isolated fires, with trunks, trees and other forest fuels burning in the area, active hotspots that need to be extinguished to prevent new fires.

The data was presented at a press conference by ministers Marina Silva (Environment and Climate Change), Simone Tebet (Planning and Budget) and Waldez Góes (Integration and Regional Development) and by representatives from Ibama and ICMBio. The group overflew the areas affected by the wildfires in the Pantanal on Tuesday morning, July 16, in Mato Grosso do Sul.

"This is the result of working together and of a republican understanding of how to deal with problems and find solutions for the benefit of society, the environment and a policy that correctly tackles climate change," said Minister Marina.

"This is the result of working together and of a republican understanding of how to deal with problems and find solutions for the benefit of society, the environment and a policy that correctly tackles climate change" – MARINA SILVA, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

Last week, a Provisional Measure made available BRL 137.6 million in extra credits from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of Defense to take emergency action against the fires in the midst of a critical water shortage affecting the region.

According to the minister, that amount will be used to hire firefighters, acquire personal protective equipment and firefighting equipment, pay per diems and transportation expenses and rent land and air transportation for support operations. It should also pay for activities carried out by National Center for Preventing and Fighting Forest Fires (Centro Nacional de Prevenção e Combate aos Incêndios Florestais /Prevfogo), including educational campaigns, training and qualification of rural producers and firefighters, monitoring and research.

"This is a moment for celebration, but it is only an initial celebration. We will have to keep our teams mobilized, our base, which is why these emergency funds that have been approved in advance, not late, is for us to keep the bases. Even now, 56% of the wildfires have been extinguished. But we know that, by the end of the week, a heat wave will come, with low humidity and a renewed risk of fires," said Marina.

According to the Department's secretary for Deforestation Control and Territorial Environmental Planning André Lima, the funds will be important because the dry season is expected to continue for a few more months, possibly until September or October. "It is going to be important to have this resource in hand to reinforce the brigades and all the operations that are being carried out, which are practically war operations," he highlighted.

Nesta terça, em Corumbá (MS), comitiva ministerial acompanhou de perto o trabalho de combate aos incêndios no Pantanal. Posteriormente participaram de reunião com equipes que participam da operação na região e em seguida concederam entrevista à imprensa.

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WORK PLAN - Minister Waldez Góes pointed out that, in addition to the BRL 137 million, an additional BRL 13.4 million will be available to purchase food, water, food hampers, fuel, police cars and for boat rental. "We are releasing the funds little by little, but these initial funds refer to the response to 30 days of action by the State Government, especially when it comes to issues referring to the 12 municipalities that have been declared by the Federal Government to be in a state of emergency here in Mato Grosso do Sul," he explained.

PROVISIONAL MEASURES - As part of the Federal Government's response to the fires in the Pantanal, Minister Simone Tebet highlighted other Provisional Measures enacted to combat the wildfires. "One of them establishes the possibility of hiring firefighters by means of faster and less bureaucratic criteria. And the third establishes the possibility, if necessary, of us being able to allow aircraft and foreign support especially from Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, the South American countries, which tend, at such times, out of solidarity, to join Brazil," she explained.

"President Lula said: 'Hire as many firefighters as you need. Spend whatever you have to spend to preserve the environment, the Pantanal, which is not just a heritage of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso Sul: it is a heritage of Brazil'," concluded Minister Tebet.

PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD - There are currently 832 Federal Government professionals in the field: 420 from the Armed Forces, 311 from Ibama and ICMBio, 71 from the National Public Security Force (Força Nacional de Segurança Pública) and 30 from the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transporte/DNIT), Federal Police and Civil Defense.

AIRCRAFT AND VESSELS - There are 14 federal aircraft operating in the region: four planes and two helicopters from Ibama and ICMBio and three planes and five helicopters from the Armed Forces. There are 27 boats: 22 from the Armed Forces and five from Ibama and ICMBio.