Mato Grosso firefighters recruit 150 temp brigadists and tackle multiple fires
The Corpo de Bombeiros Militar de Mato Grosso (CBMMT) announced a simplified selection process to hire 150 temporary brigadists for the 2026 forest‑fire season. The vacancies are spread across 29 municipalities, including key entry points to the Pantanal and Cerrado regions. Candidates must be Brazilian, aged 18‑50, literate and able to use basic agricultural tools; a D or E driving licence gives extra points. The contract lasts four months, pays a gross R$2,600 monthly plus proportional 13th salary and vacation bonus, and follows a 12‑hour work‑on/36‑hour rest schedule. Selection consists of a curricular evaluation (up to 20 points) and a physical aptitude test (2.4 km walk carrying a 24 kg water pump), weighted twice in the final score.
In June 2026 CBMMT crews responded to several fire incidents. In Sinop, firefighters extinguished a blaze at a feed‑factory in the Alto da Glória neighbourhood, using about 80,000 L of water and preventing damage to the office, stock and production areas. No injuries were reported. Later that night, a fire broke out in a 13th‑floor apartment in Cuiabá’s Dom Aquino district; crews contained the flames and evacuated the building, with no casualties.
Ahead of the dry season, CBMMT officials are aligning field teams, updating operational protocols, and planning a central Situation Room to coordinate actions from July to November. The agency warns that an El Niño‑driven drought will increase fire risk across the state’s Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal biomes.