CONTEXTUALIZATION 

In 2024, Maranhão was among the leading Brazilian states with the highest number of fire outbreaks, as well as one of the highest rates of accumulated deforestation in the Legal Amazon. Among the main causes of this situation are increasingly severe droughts and anthropogenic activities related to the improper use of fire and illegal land occupation, with burning being commonly used in the process of land clearing and occupation.

However, the lack of vehicles, equipment, and appropriate materials significantly undermines the Fire Department of Maranhão (CBMMA)'s ability to effectively carry out monitoring, enforcement, prevention, and combat of environmental incidents resulting from these and other causes. This also hampers their capacity to respond in a timely manner to illegal burning events.

Therefore, in order to strengthen CBMMA’s capacity to address the challenges within the Legal Amazon, it is essential that: (i) investments are made in vehicles and fire engines specialized in fighting forest fires; (ii) Investments are made in equipment for monitoring and surveillance operations (e.g., drones); (iii) environmental awareness and education campaigns are conducted; (iv) training is provided to stakeholders on sustainable agricultural practices, alternatives to burning, proper fire management, and techniques for forest fire prevention and response; (v) capacity-building is promoted among public agents involved in environmental protection efforts; and (vi) vew Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is supplied, both to replace damaged gear and to equip new CBMMA personnel.

THE PROJECT

The project is divided into two components:

1) Component: Strengthening, Equipment, and Institutional Structuring

• Training of Military Firefighters/Public Agents;

• Expansion and modernization of the fleet of operational vehicles;

• Equipment and materials for wildfire prevention and firefighting.

2) Component: Prevention, Combat, Monitoring, and Inspection

• Equipment/Vehicles for inspection and monitoring activities;

• Implementation of environmental awareness and sensitization campaigns;

• Training of stakeholders (farmers, rural producers, and local communities) in sustainable agricultural practices, alternatives to burning, proper fire management, and wildfire prevention and firefighting techniques;

• Formation of volunteer and community forest brigades to act in wildfire prevention and initial firefighting efforts;

• Implementation of monitoring actions.

Expected Results:

• Improvement in the monitoring and early detection of heat spots and in the inspection of environmental incidents;

• Improved logistical efficiency and reduced response time to environmental occurrences;

• Strengthening and expansion of wildfire and unauthorized burning prevention and combat actions, aiming to prevent and combat deforestation and forest degradation in municipalities of the Legal Amazon in the State of Maranhão;

• Reduction of wildfires and unauthorized burnings in municipalities of the Legal Amazon in the State of Maranhão.

INTERVENTION LOGIC

The project is part of the 'Monitoring and Control' component (2) of the Amazon Fund’s Logical Framework, contributing to the Direct Effect 2.1 - Monitoring, control and environmental accountability institutions have been
structured and modernized.