The president of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), Mauro Pires, said this Monday (16) that the population must be aware that it is not permitted to set fire to any area at this time of year. 
“The first thing we have to do is raise awareness in schools and companies that throughout Brazil it is forbidden to set fire to the bush. Sometimes, due to lack of knowledge, the fire is set by your neighbor, by the owner himself who is cleaning an area, cleaning the pasture, but this can become very large-scale,” he said in an interview with the program The Voice of Brazil, from the Brazilian Communications Company (EBC).
Fire outbreaks can be reported by calling the Military Police on 190 and 193, as well as the Green Line of environmental agencies. “It is also important to have support from state governments with their brigades and even from city halls, which are closer to the population and can also help prevent a fire from reaching large proportions.”
According to him, it is possible that the climate effects will worsen in the coming years. “Therefore, if we do not have coordinated, integrated action between all spheres, we will not face this type of situation.”
Criminal actions
Pires spoke of the outbreaks that are typically criminal, such as setting fire to a national park, which is a crime under environmental legislation. The president of ICMBio recalled the fire that is destroying the Brasilia National Park.
“Today, the city woke up with a lot of smoke, because yesterday, a very hot Sunday, there was a fire in Granja do Torto, which ended up spreading to the National Park, as it is an area of native forest, the fire ended up gaining very large proportions”.
According to him, more than 300 men from the Fire Department, Ibama and the Army are working to fight the flames. “We will continue all night to control the fire, which could have been avoided,” he assured.
