Federal Government releases R $ 3.8 million to fight fires in Mato Grosso do Sul

The resource will be used to hire 200 flight hours to fight flames, rent helicopters and purchase equipment to contain and extinguish the fire, such as hoses and dampers

Representative Image of Forest fire, Credit- Pxhere

Sep 16, PANTANAL: The Federal Government released R $ 3.8 million to help Mato Grosso do Sul in fighting fires, especially in the Pantanal region. The announcement of the funds was made during a meeting in the state, on Tuesday (15), by the ministers of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina, and Regional Development, Rogério Marinho, with Governor Reinaldo Azambuja. The transfer adds up to another R $ 562.8 thousand already transferred by the Federal Government to assist in fighting the fire.

Minister Rogério Marinho explained that, based on the calamity decree, it is possible for the state or municipality to receive funds from the Union and spoke about the release of the amount announced. “This [value] was the result of a work plan built with the Civil Defense of Mato Grosso do Sul and with our [national] Civil Defense. This resource will be used, preferably, in questions of flight hours, in the purchase of fuel and equipment that will provide brigade members with conditions to face the firing process that is being affected here in the Pantanal ”, he said.

According to the Ministry of Regional Development, the funds will assist in hiring 200 hours of flight to fight the flames, rent helicopters and purchase equipment to contain and extinguish the fire, such as hoses, splash, dampers, blowers and flexible pools.

Transfer from the Federal Government

For a state or municipality to receive help from the Federal Government, the local government must present a work plan. “This work plan is made according to the problem. Each municipality, each region, has its specificity, what type of equipment is needed, what type of coping is necessary. And, at that moment, the important thing is that you reduce the fires, decrease the speed of the fire, prevent it from spreading with the speed that it is spreading ”, explained Marinho.

Since the weekend, the national secretary of Civil Defense and Protection, Colonel Alexandre Lucas, has been in the region to assist in the coordination of actions, in addition to supporting the elaboration of work plans for requesting federal resources. "We are here in Mato Grosso do Sul to bring the resources and technical support for the response to forest fires that have affected the Pantanal," he said.

On Monday (14), the Federal Government recognized the emergency situation in Mato Grosso do Sul due to forest fires. With the recognition, the state government can request access to Union resources for relief actions, assistance, restoration of essential services to the population and recovery of damaged public infrastructure.

The Minister of Regional Development, Rogério Marinho, will visit Mato Grosso on Wednesday (16), which also has regions affected by the fires.