Article - Wildfire protection in indigenous lands of Brazil: the role of fire brigades programs
A study published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications evaluates Brazil’s Federal Brigades Program (BRIFs), which integrates modern fire management with indigenous knowledge and prescribed burning to protect indigenous lands across the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. Comparing data from 2003–2012 against 2014–2023, the study reveals:
22.7% reduction in active wildfires across indigenous lands protected by BRIFs.
12.3% increase in active wildfires across unprotected indigenous lands over the same timeframe.
Cost-effective impact: The program achieves these results at an annual cost of just USD 1.02 per protected hectare.
The findings highlight BRIFs as an efficient, low-cost, and community-centered model for wildfire protection in tropical ecosystems worldwide.
Read the article here.