Forestry engineer Tasso Azevedo, coordinator of MapBiomas, proposed an innovative solution to improve the fight against forest fires in Brazil.
In an interview with WW Azevedo argued that, although the use of satellites to map fires is effective, the implementation of surveillance towers equipped with thermal cameras could revolutionize the speed of detection and response to fire outbreaks.
According to the expert, the surveillance towers would allow the identification of flames in less than 10 minutes after the fire starts. This represents a significant improvement compared to current satellite systems, which can only detect fires when the fire line has already reached between 300 and 400 meters in length.
Challenges in fighting fires in the Amazon
Azevedo highlighted the complexity of fighting fires in the Amazon region: “In the Amazon, for example, we don’t put out fires. A large part of the fires in the Amazon are fires that enter the forest. They are fires that are extinguished by the forest itself. There’s not much you can do once they’ve entered the forest. You put out the fire before it enters the forest.”
The specialist emphasized the importance of preventive actions, which normally occur in the first half of the year.
These actions include the construction of firebreaks and education and communication campaigns to discourage the use of fire during dry periods.
However, Azevedo warned that these initiatives were hampered this year, in part due to the strike at Ibama.
Firefighting structure in Brazil
Azevedo also explained the current structure for fighting fires in the country: “The firefighting structure, which is mainly the issue of firefighters, is a structure that has federal coordination and also involves state structures. There is a program called Prevfogo, which is very important, and which works on this issue, and these firefighters are trained and there are several trained firefighters on standby.”
The engineer pointed out that many of the firefighters are members of local communities, including indigenous people, extractivists and quilombolas. This approach not only provides temporary employment, but also leverages local knowledge in fighting fires.
Azevedo’s proposal for the implementation of surveillance towers with thermal cameras emerges as a potential solution to face the growing challenges posed by climate change.
By enabling faster detection of fires, this technology could represent a paradigm shift in the preservation of Brazilian forests and the effective fight against forest fires.
This content was originally published in Adapted surveillance towers would make extinguishing the fire faster, expert tells CNN on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
