A large wildfire swept through the Guariba Indigenous community in Amajari, northern Roraima, destroying crops, chicken coops, three pig pens and two thatched shelters. The flames came close to homes, but residents managed to protect them, according to the municipality’s Civil Defense coordinator, Chaguinha Soares. She said more than seven houses had been at risk.
Community leader Leonardo Sousa told g1 that residents fought the fire from about 2:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Some people suffered burns to their feet, arms and hands and inhaled smoke. Videos recorded by residents show adults and children trying to contain the flames with buckets of water.
The fire began in the neighboring community of Araçá and spread about 15 kilometers to Guariba. Sousa said drought had dried up streams and lakes, removing natural barriers that might have slowed the fire. The entire community was affected by smoke, he said, including children who ran to escape it.
The blaze destroyed two buriti palm plantings, one with 400 trees and another with 200, as well as fruit trees, banana crops and four areas planted with cassava. About 50 purple ipê trees were also lost. Sousa said the buriti trees included mature specimens estimated to be eight to 10 years old, which were close to producing fruit. Residents have not yet mapped the full area burned. A corn crop was saved.
The buriti trees were part of a reforestation project run by the community and its local school. The initiative, established with the CIR, involves planting native fruit-bearing and medicinal species, with planting sessions held monthly or every three months.
Municipal Civil Defense teams visited the community the day after the fire to inspect the area and address any remaining hotspots that could reignite. Roraima is in its dry season; the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) had recorded 2,473 fire hotspots in the state since the beginning of the year, as of Monday, November 2.
Sources: G1.