How often can a protected area burn? Long-term detection of active fires in a Neotropical National Forest and implications for management

Abstract

Abstract Fire, depending on its intensity, frequency and duration, can have a undesired pernicious effect in natural protected areas (NPAs). However, little is known on the dynamic of fire in NPAs within developing countries. In the present paper we answer the following question: how often, in annual terms, can a natural proteced area close to a populated urban centers burn? To adress this, we mapped and classified active fires in the Brasília National Forest (Federal District, Brazil) over a twenty-year period (from 2001 to 2020). A total of 1.339 active fires were detected throughout this period, occurring every year. Most of the active fire hotspots were concentrated in areas dominated by forest plantations, grasslands, savanas and natural forests. There was significant increase in detection of active fire after 2009. The fact that there are fires every year indicated the need for (i) a greater number of firefighters available and (ii) increase in environmental education campaigns about fire in the surrounding areas of the NPA.