Santa Catarina recorded a 4,08% increase in forest fires in 2020. From the beginning of the year through May 26, the Fire Department recorded 3,671 incidents. During the same period last year, there were 899 incidents. In 2020, there were 729 fires in Greater Florianópolis, with 291 in Florianópolis alone.
According to the commander of the 1st Fire Battalion in Florianópolis, Colonel Diogo Bahia Losso, 99% of these fires are caused by human activity. “We can’t say whether they’re intentional or accidental, since it’s difficult to catch people in the act. I believe most are accidental. These include cases of clearing land, burning trash, branches, and leaves, for example,” he explains.
The problem is that, in addition to the ecological damage, there is a risk to families living near the site. In Florianópolis alone, there is an average of 20 records per day over the last few weeks.
The situation is aggravated by the drought, the dry weather, and the lack of rain.
Colonel Losso explains that one of the greatest damages to society is that the necessary mobilization of teams to fight the flames ends up hindering the response to other incidents.
SOURCE:
FIRE MAGAZINE
