Fire in Serra da Canastra National Park is controlled after 26 hours

The fire started on Tuesday (22) and was only controlled around 26 hours later, on the afternoon of Wednesday (23).

Around 10 firefighters were involved in the incident to contain the spread of the fire and prevent the flames from reaching an even larger area of ​​the conservation unit.

Even controlling the flames, the team continues to pay attention to the area to prevent the fire from resuming in areas that may still have heat or burning material.

The Casca d’Anta waterfall, one of the main tourist attractions in Serra da Canastra, is formed by the São Francisco River and has 186 meters of free fall, being considered the first major fall of the river. The attraction is among the most visited places in the Serra da Canastra National Park.

Created in 1972, the Serra da Canastra National Park protects an area of ​​almost 198 thousand hectares and is located in the Cerrado biome. The unit covers territories in six municipalities in Minas Gerais: São Roque de Minas, Sacramento, Delfinópolis, São João Batista do Glória, Vargem Bonita and Capitão.

The park is managed by ICMBio and its main objectives are the protection of biodiversity and important springs, including areas related to the São Francisco, Araguari and Santo Antônio river basins. The unit also houses threatened species, such as the Brazilian Merganser.