Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park reopens after forest fires

The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (PNCV) was reopened this Tuesday (8) after three days of closure due to fighting forest fires that hit the region. According to the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the Simão Correia Waterfall and its trails have been opened for visits.

Last Saturday (5), the park suspended visits to Cachoeira Simão Correia due to a fire that was advancing in the region. Tourists who were in the area were evacuated for safety reasons. .

On Monday (7), firefighters from ICMBio and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) managed to control the flames. The fighters had the support of a helicopter for infiltration, as the area where the fires were located is difficult to access.

However, the fighting still continues in the Cachoeira do Macacão region, surrounding the Park. The fire in this area was caused by lightning that struck the region on Monday. .

To contain the flames, the teams have a helicopter equipped with a water-dropping device and Air Tractor type planes, which assist in the operation. ICMBio warned that, with the start of the rainy season, electrical discharges are a common source for starting forest fires.

To date, there have been no reports of homes or structures damaged by the fire.

In recent months, Chapada dos Veadeiros Park has suffered from several fires. The affected area already exceeds 11 thousand hectares. The Federal Police are investigating the possibility that some outbreaks have criminal origins.

The park is located in the northeast of the state of Goiás, between the municipalities of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Cavalcante, Teresina de Goiás, Nova Roma and São João d’Aliança .

Created in 1961, the park preserves around 240 thousand hectares of Cerrado, with unique vegetation, springs, watercourses and prehistoric rocks. In 2001, UNESCO declared it a Natural Heritage of Humanity.

This content was originally published in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park reopens after forest fires on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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