Campo Grande (MS) – On August 26, Operation Pantanal II completed two months of operations, fighting forest fires in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul in the world’s largest floodplain.
In the second month of the operation, the joint efforts of the Brazilian Army, Navy and Air Force achieved significant results. More than a million liters of water have been thrown on the flames. Almost 500 soldiers are working daily on different fronts.
The number of lodgings exceeded 4,000, and 14,000 meals were served to the brigade members in remote or hard-to-reach areas, such as Poconé, Porto Conceição and the Pantanal National Park, in Mato Grosso; as well as Barranco Branco and Porto Murrinho in Mato Grosso do Sul.
During this period, the Component Forces also acted in the search and rescue of combatants, such as the Aeromedical Evacuation of an ICMBio professional, and the rescue of seven brigadiers, including members of the National Force who were missing in the Mato Grosso Pantanal.
Victims of the critical scenario of fires, many animals are seriously injured while trying to escape the blaze. Working to protect the biome as a whole, Operation Pantanal II rescued a tapir in response to a request from the São Francisco Perigara reserve, located 215 km from Cuiabá.
These are just some of the actions that are taking place in parallel to fighting the flames in the region, thanks to the commitment of Armed Forces personnel, prepared to act in extreme situations, in support of the firefighters.
Operation Pantanal II
The Pantanal II Joint Operational Command was activated on June 27, by decree 3,179, signed by the Minister of Defense. With this measure, the Armed Forces are joining forces to fight fires in the Pantanal region.