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Since fires are recurrent in the Pantanal and climate models forecast severe drought in the following years, LTCI proposed a long-term strategy for the prevention of similar catastrophes in the Nhecolândia region, where the LTCI and ICAS are based. Although the fires did not hit the region in 2020, in 2019 fires had destroyed 10% of our study area and the risk remains very high. Therefore, we have articulated the creation of a coalition of ranches that will be permanently prepared with fire brigades to act against possible fires.
The Baía das Pedras ranch, our study area, together with other nine ranches will form a coalition covering 1,500 km² of the Pantanal biome. Baia das Pedras will be the central HQ of the coalition, keeping key equipment including a 5,000-liter portable water tank as well as water pumps and accessories that can be transported in urgency to neighboring ranches. In addition, each ranch will receive a kit of firefighting equipment (including a fire burner, a portable blower, chainsaw, blade cutter, sickles, and hoes) as well as individual protective equipment for FIVE individuals (fire-resistant boots, protective clothing, gloves, glasses, balaclavas, helmets, water bottles, leg protectors, etc.). We had the guidance of experienced firefighters and ranch owners to choose the equipment, and we have already purchased all the items.
In May 2021, following all the procedures against the COVID-19, we will hold an event at the Baía das Pedras ranch to gather the member of all the 10 ranches who are part of the coalition. Experienced firefighters from PrevFogo/IBAMA will attend and train landowners and their employees on how to use, store and upkeep the equipment. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed with each participating ranch guaranteeing the proper use and care of the material and we will evaluate biannually the success of this initiative through questionnaires.
We will share the results of this experience with local and state stakeholders and policy makers in order to provide an example of potential strategies to prevent and reduce the occurrence of catastrophic fires in the Pantanal, such as 2020. This initiative also aims to guarantee the protection of the study area and a buffer zone of the most extensive long-term conservation project of the Lowland Tapir and the first long-term project focused on giant armadillos in the world.
Finally, we will provide funding to PrevFogo/IBAMA to keep 10 experienced firefighters for six months. The federal government maintains small groups of firefighters in different regions of the country only during the dry season (six months). During discussions with the coordinators of PrevFogo in Campo Grande/MS, we were told that their main need would be to keep some of their team for the remaining six months of the year (wet season). That way, they would have that additional time to train farmers, ranchers, local communities etc.
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