The Roraima government suspended authorizations for the use of controlled fire in the state. The measure was announced at a press conference this Thursday (15), in Boa Vista and is valid for 15 days. The restriction aims to stop fires during the extreme drought that is hitting the state.
With the decision, licenses for rural producers to use fire to clear pastures and planting areas are paralyzed. The State Burns Committee made the decision unanimously. The group must reevaluate the scenario in ten days to define the next steps, depending on the evolution of the climate.
The president of the State Foundation for the Environment and Water Resources (Femarh), Wagner Severo, reinforced that, with the calendar temporarily suspended, any type of fire is now considered an environmental crime.
"From this period onwards, all hot spots that are detected will be considered illegal, and the appropriate administrative measures will be adopted, from a civil and criminal point of view", stated Severo.
To identify offenders, Femarh will use a monitoring system that cross-references the location of fires with the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR). In practice, the government can know exactly which property the fire started on and who owns the land.
According to Severo, the objective of the strict suspension is to prevent Roraima from reaching the same emergency situation as the neighboring state, Amazonas.
High in hot spots
The state is facing a significant increase in fires. The National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) recorded 174 hot spots in the first two weeks of October alone. The number is 248% higher than that recorded in the same period last year. Roraima already accumulates 2,149 hot spots in 2026.
Rorainópolis, Pacaraima and Caracaraí lead the fire records this month. The combination of fire and prolonged drought worries authorities and worsens environmental damage.
The meteorologist at the State Foundation for the Environment and Water Resources (Femarh), Ramon Alves, explained that the state is facing a "very strong" El Niño phenomenon, one of the most intense recorded since 1950.
"In addition to our dry period, which is already intense and begins in October, we are accumulating this phenomenon. Rainfall has decreased significantly", highlighted the expert. In August, for example, it rained just 19 millimeters in the state, when the historical average is 200 millimeters.
The impact of the lack of rain is also visible in the rivers. The state coordinator of Civil Defense, Colonel Anderson Carvalho de Matos, reported that the level of the Branco River reached just 52 centimeters deep.
"Our river dropped 1.60 meters in the first 15 days of October. That's a lot. If we follow the trend for the next seven days, it should drop another 25 centimeters", warned the colonel.
To try to reduce the damage, the government will install four advanced inspection bases in the interior starting next Monday (19). The current focus is to guide rural producers and work on prevention, with the support of associations and city halls.
The drought, intensified by the El Niño phenomenon, directly affects the local economy. The Roraima Soybean Producers Association (Aprosoja) projects a 50% loss in productivity for the current grain harvest. The state has been in an emergency situation since September.
Strengthening supply and health
To reduce the impacts of the drought, the Roraima Water and Sewage Company (Caer) announced the drilling of new water wells in the state. In Boa Vista, the company plans to install an extra pump on the Branco River if the water level reaches a critical situation. Currently, the capital is supplied by three treatment plants and 110 wells.
In the interior, distribution should be reinforced by water trucks and new collection structures. The measures include municipalities such as Rorainópolis, Caroebe and Pacaraima, in addition to the towns of Félix Pinto (Cantá) and Vista Alegre (Caracaraí).
In the area of health, the State Department of Health (Sesau) prepares the service network for the effects of smoke and drought. The focus is to ensure the treatment of patients with dehydration, respiratory diseases and burns.
