With more than 600,000 hectares burned in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul declares an emergency

Davi Vittorazzi – From Cenarium

CUIABÁ (MT) – On Monday, the government of Mato Grosso do Sul declared an emergency due to the high rates of forest fires in the state, especially in the Pantanal. In all, the biome has already had 627,000 hectares burned in 2024 alone, according to data from the Environmental Satellite Applications Laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LASA/UFRJ).

The decree signed by Governor Eduardo Riedel (PSDB) justifies the fact that the weather conditions of the current period, with low rainfall and severe drought, have resulted in an exponential increase in hotspots. The measure is valid for 180 days. The cities of Corumbá, Ladário, Porto Murtinho and Rio Verde are the worst hit by the fires.

While the decree is in force, the state will be able to mobilize all its agencies to act in coordination with Civil Defense in disaster response, rehabilitation and reconstruction actions in the municipalities. Agents will be able to enter homes and provide aid to victims, as well as ordering the evacuation of properties. The state will also be able to make purchases without the need for a bidding process.

According to the Mato Grosso do Sul government, the extreme drought and the outbreaks of heat have also damaged the local economy. The impact of the fires on Pantanal agriculture is estimated at a direct economic loss of more than R$ 17 million.

To combat the fires, the State Executive says it is working on several fronts, with coordinated and integrated work from the air (aircraft and helicopters) and on the ground, with firefighters, fire departments and the cooperation of Pantanal residents. The actions are coordinated by the Incident Command System (SCI), which organizes and provides guidelines for action in the field and by aircraft. In addition to satellite images, drones are being used to identify fire outbreaks.

Wall of fire in the Pantanal at arraial

Forest fires in Mato Grosso do Sul are visible even in urban areas. In the municipality of Corumbá, 352 kilometers from the capital Campo Grande, a video shared on social media shows a wall of fire in the Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul during a São João festival, which took place between Friday 21st and Sunday 23rd.

Edited by Jadson Lima
Translated by Bruno Sena