# Wildfires along Minas Gerais highways

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/wildfires-along-minas-gerais-highways
> Updated: 2026-08-20T12:38:18.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Wildfires along highway corridors in Minas Gerais, Brazil, have shown a downward trend in frequency during the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year. In 2025, the BR-040 corridor experienced significant fire activity during the dry season, with 75% of 274 recorded fires occurring between July and December. This period saw approximately 598,000 m² burned, with major incidents occurring in municipalities such as Carandaí and Belo Horizonte.

By mid-2026, reports from highway concessionaires EPR Sul de Minas and EPR Vias do Café indicated a 47% reduction in fire outbreaks between January and July compared to the same period in 2025. Specifically, EPR Vias do Café reported a 54% decrease, while EPR Sul de Minas saw a 38% reduction. These companies attributed the decline to the implementation of real-time climate monitoring, heat detection technology, and maintenance of highway rights-of-way.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-20: EPR highway concessions report 47% drop in fire outbreaks

EPR Sul de Minas and EPR Vias do Café achieved a 47% reduction in highway fire outbreaks through technology and preventive monitoring between January and July 2026.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/epr-highway-concessions-report-47-drop-in-fire-outbreaks

### 2026-08-05: Dry season fuels surge of fires along Brazil's BR-040 highway

EPR Via Mineira says 75% of 2025 BR-040 fires in Minas Gerais happened in the dry season, burning 598,000 m²; early 2026 saw a 31% drop in incidents, but vigilance remains high.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dry-season-fuels-surge-of-fires-along-brazils-br-040-highway

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Cite as: Wildfires along Minas Gerais highways. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/wildfires-along-minas-gerais-highways