Brazil: Prevention and Control of Forest Fires in the Nature Conservation Area Rio Doce in Minas Gerais (IFFN No. 23)

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

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


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

Year

PP Rio Doce

Buffer Zone

Number of fires

Total area burned (ha)

Average size of area burned (ha)

Number of fires

Total area burned (ha)

Average size of area burned (ha)

1993

5

980

196

73

3,700

50.7

1994

0

0

27

1,100

40.7

1995

1

2

2

29

500

17.2

1996

0

0

5

150

30.0

1997

0

0

2

5

2.5

1998

0

0

26

403

15.5

1999*

3

3

1

45

1,000

22.2

* 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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