Portugal and Brazil strengthen cooperation in fire management

The Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF) and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) signed a memorandum of understanding on May 18 that reinforces cooperation between the two countries in matters related to rural fires.

This agreement and cooperation between the Portuguese Republic and the Federative Republic of Brazil will effectively reduce the occurrence and risk of rural fires and respond to the threats created by fire to public health, safety and well-being of communities, but also to ecosystems. and natural habitats.

 

The two entities establish:

  • Share good practices in terms of strategy, communication, research and technologies that improve and promote fire prevention;
  • Share training opportunities, technical knowledge, geographic information systems (GIS), scenarios and simulations in all phases of integrated fire management;
  • Share initiatives to develop governance and risk management mechanisms;
  • Share analyzes and solutions for financing models for activities directly or indirectly related to integrated fire management, as well as fiscal or financial incentives;
  • Share good practices that improve the ability to suppress rural fires, such as the use of knowledge and meteorological information, suppression techniques and specialization of human resources and activation of air and ground resources in suppressing fires;
  • Share and explore innovations in fuel management methods, including prescribed burns and controlled burns, prevention, data collection and analysis, tools and equipment, technology and policy development to mitigate the effects of severe wildfires;
  • Promoting the exchange of specialized human resources, taking advantage of the delay in the most fire-sensitive seasons between the hemispheres, seeking to enhance the culture of cooperation between the two countries.