The fire that hit Brasília National Park last Sunday (15) continues to have active outbreaks and is at risk of spreading, according to the Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation and Biodiversity (ICMBio).
In an interview with journalists, ICMBio’s integrated fire management coordinator, João Paulo Morita, stated that there are 93 firefighters in the field, divided into fronts, to prevent the fire from spreading. So far, 700 hectares of the park have been destroyed.
Morita also stated that there is a “high probability” that the fire was arson. “It is a very high probability. There were no clouds here and the only way for a natural fire to start is through lightning,” he said.
The Federal Police (PF) opened an investigation to investigate the possible causes of the fire.
According to ICMBIO, the fire also reached gallery forests that protect watercourses and, although they have not yet found dead animals, there is a chance that some fauna has been affected.
Reinforcement of the combat teams should be sent this afternoon, including fighters from the Chapada dos Veadeiros region.
Air quality
The president of the Brasília Environmental Institute (Ibram), Rôney Nemer, told journalists that there was an initial worsening in the air quality in Brasília due to a “calm in the winds”, which left the smoke stagnant in the city.
With dawn and the return of the winds, however, the fog dissipated and the quality indices improved.
According to the Swiss agency IQAir, the air quality index in the capital on Monday was 81, considered moderate. The recommendation, especially for risk groups, is to avoid outdoor physical activities, wear masks in outdoor areas and drink plenty of water.
The University of Brasília (UnB) and schools near the National Park canceled activities this Monday.
Nemer said he will have a meeting this afternoon with the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, to discuss the fires.
According to him, among the demands to be discussed is the importance of having a number of firefighters dedicated to fighting fires throughout the year, and not just during the dry season.
This content was originally published in Fire in Brasília National Park has risk of spreading, says ICMBio on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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