Imasul and Mato Grosso do Sul Firefighters Conduct Prescribed Burns in Pantanal

The Instituto de Meio Ambiente de Mato Grosso do Sul (Imasul) and the Corpo de Bombeiros Militar of the state carried out an integrated fire‑management operation in the Pantanal do Rio Negro State Park. Two prescribed‑burn phases covered more than 1,000 hectares, including a 600‑hectare burn on the neighboring Fazenda Santa Maria between 11 and 15 May.

The strategy aimed to reduce accumulated biomass and lower the risk of large‑scale wildfires during the dry season. Teams used an existing fire to guide controlled burning, monitored the operation from an observation tower and aerial patrols, and coordinated with local landowners to create firebreaks. "The monitoring allowed the fire to spread in a controlled way, while the environment itself, such as flooded areas, acted as natural barriers," said Leonardo Tostes, Imasul’s conservation manager. Captain Samuel Pedrozo Borges of the fire department added that the plan created a preventive belt to protect the park. Imasul president André Borges highlighted the approach as essential for preserving the Pantanal ecosystem.