Blog | Resilient communities: Fire management and environmental stewardship in Cerrado, Brazil

By Anne Gander

In 2024, Brazil faced an intense season of droughts and wildfires across its diverse biomes, significantly impacting the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal. Prolonged dry conditions, worsened by climate change, created an environment where fires ignited more easily and spread rapidly, causing extensive environmental and social consequences. The fires across these biomes have led to unprecedented carbon emissions, degraded air quality, and biodiversity loss. 

The Brazilian Cerrado, recognised as one of the world’s most biodiverse savannas, faces extreme fire seasons every year, especially during the dry season that usually lasts for 6 months, from April to September. Recent studies indicate an observed increase in dry periods linked to altered rainfall pattern due to climate change and regional deforestation, posing risks to biodiversity, agriculture, water and communities dependent on these resources (Hofmann, G.S., Silva, R.C., Weber, E.J. et al., 2023). Climate models indicate that the Cerrado region is expected to experience an increase in the number of dry days (Cattelan et al, 2024; Marengo et al., 2022; Coman et al., 2024). The projected changes include amplified seasonality and higher vapor pressure deficit (VPD) by the end of the century (compared to the baseline 1981-2010). An increase of temperature of 1.5°C (compared to 1800-1900 baseline) would cause an increase of up to 22% in the area burned in the Cerrado by 2050. In a pessimistic scenario, which considers an increase of 4.5°C to 8.5°C in global temperature, an increase in the area burned by fire of 39% to 95% is expected by 2100, which could lead to the disappearance of the biome (Silva et al., 2019).

This year, the Cerrado has experienced its most severe drought in the history, with more than 165 consecutive dry days recorded in several regions (CEMADEN/MCTI, 2024). In October the rain miraculously arrived, a promise of hope. But one week before that, I witnessed a huge and devastating fire starting in the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, less than 1000m from my house in the village of São Jorge, State of Goiás. I saw the smoke from my office’s windows around 3pm.

When the night came, we could see how the red flames advanced quickly through the landscape and towards our house. We had removed most of the dry leaves from our land that week, but we aren’t really equipped for this kind of situation and as we saw the fire growing and moving forward, we got really scared. We spent the night in vigilance and hearing from our brave firefighters, true heroes, who resisted an 18-hour battle until the fire was finally put out the next day. This was just a fire I witnessed and that threatened my home and neighbours directly but according to data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 54,200 fires had been detected in the biome this year alone (9 million hectares/ 4,53% of the biome area), second only to the Amazon (79,175).

The technological advancement in commodity production in the Cerrado, largely driven by research breakthroughs from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) in the 70’s decade, enabled a strong process of intensification and scalability in agricultural production in the region (Oliveira et al., 2022). The expansion of agricultural production occupies approximately 50% of the Cerrado area and in recent years has occurred mainly towards the northern and more preserved region of the biome (Colman et al, 2024). Farmers often use controlled burns to clear land for new crops, but these fires can easily spread out of control under windy or dry conditions. Additionally, deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, and clearing large tracts of land can lead to the loss of natural barriers that help prevent fire spread. As climate change, droughts, and agricultural expansion have increasingly worsened the frequency and intensity of wildfires, conservation areas like Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Goiás have become hotspots for environmental protection efforts.

The Chapada dos Veadeiros Fire Brigade was established in 2017 with 12 volunteers in response to the growing need for fire management in the Cerrado, where fires are both a natural occurrence and a human-induced hazard. Today, the brigade consists of 40 well-trained local firefighters, whose local knowledge and tactical expertise are crucial in containing fires before they reach devastating levels. The brigade’s work extends beyond firefighting. They are also dedicated to raising awareness in nearby communities about fire prevention, especially regarding agricultural burns that often spark wildfires. This educational outreach is crucial in reducing accidental and intentional fires that can spiral out of control during the dry season. Moreover, the brigade’s presence positively impacts the local economy and social fabric. Many of the brigade members are from nearby communities, creating jobs and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship. In partnership with organisations like the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), they provide critical guidance and resources for sustainable fire management strategies, enhancing both their effectiveness and community involvement in conservation​.

The work carried out by E Co. on climate change adaptation projects considers that community conservation and stewardship are foundational to effective local adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. We believe that leveraging local knowledge, fostering environmental stewardship, and promoting sustainable practices, are approaches that help build resilient communities capable of withstanding and adapting to the growing challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters. Communities are often the first to experience the impacts of climate-related disasters, and their deep understanding of the local environment allows for tailored responses that align with the unique ecological and social contexts. Moreover, this participatory approach ensures that local voices are included in decision-making processes, enhancing the relevance and sustainability of adaptation measures.

References

1. Ane Alencar et al., 2024. Institute for Environmental Research of the Amazon. Fires in Brazil 2024: the land portrait of the burned area in the biomes.
2. Hofmann, G.S., Silva, R.C., Weber, E.J. et al. Changes in atmospheric circulation and evapotranspiration are reducing rainfall in the Brazilian Cerrado. Sci Rep 13, 11236 (2023).
3. Cattelan, L.G, Mattos, C. R. C., Pamplona, M. B., Hirota, M. Mapping Climatic Regions of the Cerrado: General Patterns and Future Change (2024).
4. Marengo J. A., Jimenez, J. C., Espinoza, J-C, Cunha, A. P., Aragão L. E. O. Increased climate pressure on the agricultural frontier in the Eastern Amazonia–Cerrado transition zone (2022).
5. Colman, C. B., Guerra, A., Almagro, A., de Oliveira Roque, F., Rosa, I. M. D., Fernandes, G.W., Oliveira, P. T. S. Modelling the Brazilian Cerrado land use change highlights the need to account for private property sizes for biodiversity conservation (2024).
6. Cattelan, L.G, Mattos, C. R. C., Pamplona, M. B., Hirota, M. Mapping Climatic Regions of the Cerrado: General Patterns and Future Change (2024).
7. Silva, P. S., Bastos, A., Libonati, R., Rodrigues, J. A. & DaCamara, C. C. Impacts of the 1.5°C global warming target on future burned area in the Brazilian Cerrado. For. Ecol. Manage. 446, 193–203 (2019).
8. National Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring and Alerts (CEMADEN) /Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). Monitoring Drought and Impacts in Brazil – September/2024 (2024).
9. National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Fire Program. Data (2024). Programa Queimadas • INPE
10. Oliveira, P. T. S. et al. Agricultural land degradation in Brazil. In The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry (eds Oliveira, P. T. S. et al.) 1–31 (Springer, 2022).
11. Colman, C. B., Guerra, A., Almagro, A., de Oliveira Roque, F., Rosa, I. M. D., Fernandes, G.W., Oliveira, P. T. S. Modelling the Brazilian Cerrado land use change highlights the need to account for private property sizes for biodiversity conservation (2024)