Energisa strengthens the fight against fires in the Pantanal

Mato Grosso's Pantanal is the largest floodplain on the planet. In this rich Brazilian biome, which is home to more than 5,000 animal and plant species, the climate is marked by two defined seasons, the dry season and the rainy season, when rivers and streams overflow and flood around two thirds of the region's surface. During this period, the corixos are formed, which are like small seasonal rivers that connect the waters of lagoons, flooded areas and other nearby rivers. Outside of the rainy season, however, the water drains away and the corixos dry up.

Hence the need to make artificial wells to store water during the dry season. Energisa contributed to the electrical installation of five artesian wells at strategic points along the Transpantaneira. The wells supply the corixos built in the same area, thus offering a source of water that is used by firefighters to fight fires, as well as quenching the thirst of the region's animals, such as oxen and horses.

Energisa is implementing various actions to prevent and combat the fires that have been ravaging Mato Grosso's Pantanal, in partnership with the state secretariats for the Environment (Sema) and Infrastructure (Sinfra). Another important preventive measure adopted is the creation of a firebreak up to 15 meters wide, in areas where it is necessary, along a 150-kilometer stretch of the Transpantaneira. Do you know what a firebreak is for?

Firebreaks are strips of land with no vegetation that act as a barrier against fire and protect the electricity grid. As the fire spreads by setting fire to dry material in areas close to where the fire started, the creation of a strip free of flammable material can delimit the burned area and prevent the flames from advancing. The firebreak is added to the road itself, creating an even greater corridor of protection against fires.

In addition to the devastating environmental impacts, fires directly affect the electricity grid, which can be destroyed by the heat of the fire. For this reason, the Transpantaneira firebreak also has the mission of protecting electrical structures and preventing interruptions to the power supply in the region.

Energisa has already invested R$300,000 in hiring machinery that is working under the guidance of the state government to create a firebreak on the Transpantaneira, between the Porto Jofre region and the edge of the urban region of Poconé.

During the firebreak works, Energisa's teams spotted a curious scene. In a flooded area, a courageous capybara was swimming calmly in a mudflat full of alligators. The scene had a happy ending, and the capybara crossed the pack of predators without hesitation.

We know what the natural chain predicts, but it was a totally unusual outcome. The capybara faced dozens, maybe hundreds of caimans. As well as not retreating, it found a way through and had a happy ending," recalled the author of the image, Energisa's management and projects manager, Luzay Lopo.