Prevention and Control ofForest Fires in the Nature Conservation Area Rio Doce in Minas Gerais, Brazil

(IFFN No. 23 – December 2000, p. 44-47)

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In Brazil fire used to be and continues being a traditional tool in agriculture and forestry. It is used in the development of new areas (slash and burn agriculture) or to clean meadows off organic residues, weeds and pests. If these fires run out of control they become forest fires, sometimes with catastrophic dimensions. The Provincial Park Rio Doce (PP Rio Doce) which was established in 1944 in the east of the Minas Gerais state, is an example of how a Protected Area can successfully be protected against fire damages.

The Protected Area, managed by the state-level Forest Institute IEF, is one of three target protected areas of the bilateral technical co-operation project “Doces Matas”, in place since 1996, a cooperation between three brazilian institutions and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GTZ). These institutions are the federal environmental agency IBAMA, IEF and the NGO Fundação Biodiversitas. The project goal is the protection and sustainable development of the three Protected Areas, including their buffer zones. Special emphasis is given to institutional co-operation and the participation of local people.

The area of the PP Rio Doce is part of the Atlantic Rainforest biome, both from the viewpoint of vegetation and site conditions. The Atlantic Rainforest is among the forest ecosystems with the highest biodiversity, worldwide, and, unfortunately, also one of the most threatened. In a landscape totally altered by humans through Eucalyptus Plantations, extensive pasture areas, smallholder agriculture, as well as urban development and steel industry, the Protected Area represents an island of natural vegetation. Covering an area of 35,973 ha, primary and secondary semi-evergreen forests are growing in a mosaic pattern under a subtropical, moderate humid climate (mean annual temperature 21°C, mean annual precipitation 1160 mm). The secondary forests originate from large forest fires which occurred in the 1960’s. The Park shelters the largest continuous area of this vegetation type in Minas Gerais and constitutes the core area of the “Atlantic Rainforest” Biosphere Reserve in this state. Along with the rich flora and fauna, the Park also protects a part of the third biggest lake area in Brazil.

The forest fire history in the central part of Rio Doce started in the early 1940s. It began with large scale forest clearing, especially for charcoal production. At that time fire was still considered as an appropriate tool to shape landscapes. In the 1960’s this attitude – along with reforestation –came under increasing criticism, underscored by quantitative calculations of damages from the uncontrolled use of fire. The fire catastrophe of 1967, when 9000 ha of natural forest inside the PP Rio Doce were destroyed, with additional damages in the buffer zone, represented a sad example of the destroying forces of fire and a turning point. Eleven fire fighter lost their lives. The material losses from theses fires along with the environmental damages to the forest industry, farmers and local people, resulted in a discussion which led to the search for alternatives to the use of fire, and to the development of better fire prevention and suppression methods. Projects and initiatives were implemented focussing on environmental education, law enforcement and regulation of the use of fire in agriculture and forestry. Because of an initial lack of adequate co-ordination, the Protected Area management took over the role to address and integrate the different stakeholders, which led to remarkable success.

Integrated Programme for Prevention, Control and Suppression of Forest Fires

Given the fact that the PP Rio Doce cannot be dealt with in an isolated form from its surroundings, and co-operation with neighbouring communities and stakeholders is essential for effective nature protection, the park management has been working, since the 1990s, on commonly agreed solutions to the forest fire problem. The result is the “Integrated Programme for the Prevention, Control and Suppression of Forest Fires”, established in 1994. The programme is supported by distinct stakeholders such as private companies, local municipalities, military police, and the road construction department. The main goal is the protection of PP Rio Doce and its buffer zone from uncontrolled fires, including 30,900 ha of Eucalyptus spp. Plantations of the forest company Acesita Energética (a subsidiary of the Acesita Aços steel company), as well as 21,000 ha of agricultural lands. Altogether the programme covers an area of 86,973 ha.

While some stakeholders are committed to the programme because of their immediate interests, like in the case of Acesita Energética, others co-operate because they want to support the Protected Area, like the metal working company Usiminas. This company does not own property in the range of the programme but nevertheless contributes to the running costs. The farmers of the buffer zone do not participate officially in the protection programme, but do collaborate indirectly through the maintenance of fences and access roads, as well as the release of water tanks in the case of a fire, as well as other activities.

The Rio Doce Park Management is responsible for the co-ordination of the programme activities. Beside this, each member of the programme has assumed specific responsibilities for assigned activities, e.g. the monitoring of a given area and the maintenance of facilities. The programme has no rigid structure. Yearly revisions by the stakeholders lead to its adjustment to new circumstances, if necessary.

Tab.1. Fire causes in PP Rio Doce and its buffer zone

Fire Causes	Number of fires/year						Total	%
	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
Arson	17	6	9	2	1	6	41	24.4
Agriculture	13	8	5	1	1	6	34	20.2
Fishery*	11	2	4	1	–	4	22	13.1
Forestry	9	5	–	–	–	3	17	10.1
Pasture	6	1	3	–	–	2	12	7.1
Tourism	3	1	2	–	–	1	7	4.2
Fire work	2	–	3	1	–	–	6	3.6
Garbage burning	–	1	2	–	–	–	3	1.8
Hunting	2	–	–	–	–	–	2	1.2
Unknown	15	3	2	–	–	4	24	14.3
Total	78	27	30	5	2	26	168	100

In the protected area fishing is generally prohibited except for one lake
Source: database PP Rio Doce

The table shows, that besides arson, fires used in agriculture, forestry and traditional fishing are the main causes.

On the basis of this analysis the means and strategies for effective fire control and suppression were determined. Watch towers, stations, equipment for fire fighting and personal safety were purchased and established. In addition, a road network (for patrolling and as safety zones in case of a fire) was developed or improved, fire breaks were built and personnel was trained for fire towers and fire fighting crews. Since the establishment of the programme, 250 members of the participating organisations have been trained in fire prevention, fire suppression and first aid. Finally a detailed plan was developed to bring existing information together and for the detection of fire locations.

In addition to fire control and suppression, prevention activities were undertaken from the beginning of the programme. The programme succeeded in reducing the number of fires by a series of activities such as awareness raising of local communities, environmental education through meetings, presentations and flyers.

The establishment costs of the programme run to US$ 229,000 to date. The public member institutions (IEF, military police, road construction department and municipalities) have covered 97% of these costs. Of the yearly operating costs of US$ 157,000, the government pays approximately two thirds, while the private enterprises, Acesita Energética und Usiminas, pay the rest. Personnel costs represent the biggest share, followed by maintenance costs (fire breaks, streets and roads) and radio operation.

Results

Table 2 clearly shows the noticeable success of the integrated fire protection programme. Since 1993, when the programme started, the area burned inside the PP Rio Doce could be substantially reduced. This means that the measures of fire protection and suppression, through fire towers, improved communication and fire detection systems, road network, fire breaks, fuel reduction, as well as fire crews and equipment, were effective and the results justify the efforts undertaken.

Tab. 2: Development of number and extent of fires

* Preliminary data
Source: data base PP Rio Doce

In the buffer zone the results were not as positive as in the PP Rio Doce. Neither the number of fires nor the average area burned could be substantially brought down to acceptable levels. This points to inefficiency, lack of acceptance, unsuitability or simply to the insufficient dimension of the measures undertaken in fire prevention. Consequently, greater efforts from all stakeholders in the areas of law enforcement, awareness raising in forest industry, farmers, fishers, tourists and the local people in general have to be undertaken. The especially high fire occurrence in 1999 can be partly explained by the extreme drought and by the land use change under way from Eucalyptus plantations to agriculture.

With regard to the programme costs, it can be stated that the protection programme is cheaper than the rehabilitation measures of the past. The prevention and control activities in 1993 ran up to approx. US$ 600,000. If the costs of rehabilitation or reforestation of burned areas were to be added the costs would quickly reach millions. Compared to these costs the costs of the establishment and implementation of the protection programme (see above) are minor.

According to the Park management assessment, one of the most important results is that forest fires in and around PP Rio Doce are better understood. This was achieved through the programme’s research activities, which lead to a more systematic and planned organization of prevention, control, and suppression activities, instead of the improvised and reactive countermeasures of the past. The experience gained is perceived as so promising that fire protection programmes, following the example of PP Rio Doce, are currently planned in other Protected Areas throughout Minas Gerais.

 

Contact address:

Elmo Nunes and Stefanie Kraas
Projeto “Doces Matas”
Rua Paracatu, 304 – 11º andar/ sala 1102
30180-090 Belo Horizonte – Minas Gerais
BRAZIL

Tel: +55-31-330 7010
Fax: +55-31-330 7009
E-mail: gtzief@gold.com.br

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| IFFNNo. 23 | Specials | Country Notes |

 

Operational Satellite Monitoring ofFires in Brazil

(IFFN No. 9 – July 1993, p. 8-11)

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Fire detection and control are complex tasks in Brazil. The country has old and popular established traditions of burning the vegetation whenever possible, weak environmental concerns, and little or nor capability of fire detection in most of its territory (8 million km2). Among its main uses, fire is normally employed to renew pastures all over the country, to clear felled trees and shrubs in areas of new deforestation, and in sugar cane plantations prior to manual harvesting. A pronounced dry season of about four months in the southern and central regions during the austral winter create very favorable conditions for the wide spread use and propagation of fires. Natural fires (e.g. lightning fires) represent a negligible fraction of fire events.

Since 1987 an operational system of fire detection based on orbital remote sensing has been used in Brazil. This report summarizes the technique used and the products available, pointing to its main advantages, limitations and future needs. Readers interested in more details should be directed to the references listed at the end of the text.

The satellites used for fire detection and monitoring are the NOAA-series meteorological satellites of polar orbit (~98° , 840 km altitude). There are always two of these satellites in operation, resulting in at least four overpasses per day for any tropical regions of the globe. At present, four NOAA satellites can be used (NOAA 9-12) and an additional one (NOAA-13) is expected to be in use by July 1993. The early afternoon images (at 2 p.m. local solar time) are particularly used for fire monitoring because most fires lit around noon are still active during the satellite pass. Each image covers a ground strip of about 2,500 km oriented in the SSE-NNW direction for day-time ascending passes, or NNE-SSW in night-time descending passes. The length of the strip is about 4,000 km, centered in the latitude of the receiving station. Such wide-area coverage in a short time interval (14 minutes) available a few times per day is the main advantage of these satellites in fire detection. No cost or restrictions exist to receive these AVHRR images/HRPT mode. Accredited commercial complete receiving stations have been sold for less than US$100,000; ones of 1/10 of this price are currently offered!

The detection of fires relies on the picture elements (pixels) of the image above a certain threshold in the thermal channel 3 (3.9 m m) of the 4-channel AVHRR sensor aboard the NOAA satellites. This channel, with nominal saturation at 43° C, was designed for ocean and temperature measurements. Nevertheless, it is the most sensitive one to targets with temperatures of vegetation fires. Its signal, therefore, can be used only to detect fires but not to estimate their temperature or size. Hot targets like cities of dense construction or exposed soils under a hot sun are seen by channel 3 with much lower temperatures than active fires and are not erroneously mistaken with them. Any fire front with ca. 50 m or more will be detected by channel 3, and will be indicated by at least one pixel. Since the size of a pixel is at least 1.1 x 1.1 km, area estimates of fire fronts for field operations planning is impossible. The precision of fire detection is one pixel, which at nadir is ± 500 m; at the edges of the image, because of pixel geometric distortion, it may reach ± 3,000 m. A major constraint is caused by sun glint in water bodies and in very reflective hot exposed soils in particular cases of sun-target-satellite geometry. In Brazil this problem was greatly reduced by using always the most west pass of the satellites for the region of interest. When this pass occurs the sun is at a lower angle for that region and the soil temperature has decreased in relation to the previous pass which was ca.25 degrees eastward, highly reducing the chances of sun glint.

Two types of products are made and operationally distributed in Brazil by the National Space Institute (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais – INPE), which receives the NOAA images and processes them on real time. The first one is directed to those with operational needs of fire detection and fighting, like organizations in charge of protected areas or commercial forests, and environmental agencies. A special image processing software coupled with a geographical information system identifies all “fire pixels” in the images received, determines their geographical coordinates, selects those in each individual area of interest, and prepares and sends a telex message to specific users. Within about 30 minutes of the satellite pass individual users have at their telex machines a list of geographical coordinates of the fires detected in their own regions. Telex transmissions are preferred to avoid noise problems found in regular fax/phone lines. Until 1992 only the afternoon satellite passes were used on a regular basis, with night and early morning passes processed only on special request; in 1993 an early morning image should also be included in the monitoring.

This fire monitoring system is operational on a daily basis in Brazil for six months, from 1 June until 30 November. The size of the areas monitored varies according to the users needs, ranging from small ones with just a few km2 to those of large states of many thousands of km2. Users usually relay the locations of the fires received by telex to fire brigades in the field by radio. Fire fighting brigades which checked hundreds of the fires detected by this satellite system reported that ca.98% of them were correctly identified; the remaining 2% were never reached because of logistical problems. In relation to other sources of information on fires, like calls from the public, park guards, aircraft pilots, the satellite detection accounted for ca.96% of all fires detected. For statistical and control purposes, the system also generates a monthly statement for each area monitored, indicating the total number of fires detected each day.

A second operational product of the system gives an estimate of fire distribution and density for the country with cumulative weekly and monthly data obtained from the daily image processing. Fire pixels are counted in Grid cells of 0.5° of latitude by 0.5° of longitude and sent every week to users by E-mail. Three matrixes of data are produced and sent: the first contains the number of fire pixels detected in each grid cell during the week; the second contains the number of times each cell was imaged by the satellite; and the third has the average number of fire pixels in each grid cell. The E-mail file containing the three matrix has ca.70 Kbytes. Users of these weekly products include newspapers that publish maps of fire density in the country or in specific states, and different scientific groups interested in studies on vegetation, atmospheric chemistry and climate modelling.

 

Fig.1. Fire activities in Brazil during July 1992 as recorded by NOAA satellite data.
Source: National Institute for Space Research INPE, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
(will be added later)

 

Fig.2. Fire activities in Brazil during August 1992 as recorded by NOAA satellite data.
Source: National Institute for Space Research INPE, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
(will be added later)

 

The two figures show an example of maps made from such matrixes for the months of July and August 1992. The month of August, which includes the peak of the fire activity, had over 100,000 fires, while July, still at the beginning of the fire season, had only 15,000 fires detected by satellite. The highest density of fires is found along the current south limit of the Amazon forest. This is a region subject to intense deforestation through fire. The vegetation is cut at the end of the wet season or start of the dry season, and then left to dry for one or two months. Fire is used to burn the dead organic matter and will be used in the same place for many years until all organic matter from the original forest is consumed.

Although restricted by the Brazilian government, deforestation and the associated burnings are extremely difficult to control in such extensive and inhospitable regions. The control has been made in recent years largely based in the satellite detection technique described above: helicopters stationed in the region have been directed to the geographical coordinates of the fire pixels in AVHRR’s channel 3 images. This enabled the Environmental Institute of Brazil to enforce existing legislation on fires and deforestation with millions of dollars in fines imposed on law offenders. In fact, AVHRR images in 1987 were responsible for showing the scientific community and the public in general that biomass burning in Amazonia was taking place at unprecedented rates and out of control.

Without discussing extensive existing field and validation work or theoretical considerations, the following pros and cons of the AVHRR detection of fires are listed:

Main advantages

• methodology of detection regular and uniform
• use of satellite data not restricted, costs are less than other images
• four images daily anywhere in the globe, at least
• coverage ranging from few to millions of km2
• precise location of fires for fire control purposes
• fast acquisition and distribution of information on fire locations
• simple detection principle, field proven
• products of simple output
• answers individual needs of different users
• fast, simple and diversified delivery of products
• low product cost for users 

Main limitations

• no detection of fires not active during the satellite time overpass
• no detection of fire fronts smaller than ca.50 m
• obscuring clouds (but not smoke) in the fire-satellite line-of-sight
• no detection of fires not reaching the canopy
• solar reflection in a few cases
• very coarse estimate of area in fire
• misses advance of fires between consecutive images

 

 References

Pereira, M.C. and A.W. Setzer 1991. Spectral characteristics of deforestation fires in NOAA/ AVHRR images. Int. J. Remote Sensing 14 (3): 583-597.

Setzer, A.W. and M.C. Pereira 1991a. Amazonia biomass burning in 1987 and an estimate of their tropospheric emissions Ambio 20: 19-22.

Setzer, A.W. and M.C. Pereira 1991b. Operational detection of fires in Brazil with NOAA-AVHRR. 24th ERIM Int.Symp.Remote Sensing of Environm. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Setzer, A.W. et al. 1992. The use of NOAA satellites in the detection of fires in Brazil. Climanalise (INPE/Brazil) 7(8), 41-53. (in Portuguese)

 

 

From:   Alberto Setzer
Address: 
INPE/DSM
Caixa Postal 515
BR – 12201 San José dos Campos

Phone: (++55) 123-418977 ext 347
Fax: (++55) 123-218743
at present
c/o CEC-JRC-ISRA – T.P.440
I-21020 Ispra

Phone:  (++39) 332-785018
Fax:     (++39) 332-789073

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