The Cocó Ecological Park, in Fortaleza (CE), was hit by a fire between the night of this Wednesday (17th) and the beginning of the afternoon of this Thursday (18th). The flames spread through the unit’s vegetation area, and the smoke spread to several surrounding neighborhoods.
The fire affected at least 20 hectares of vegetation on Wednesday night. There is still no confirmation of the causes of the fire.
The fire was controlled on Wednesday, but started again during the night. At around 12:00 on this farm, there were still fires. The fight only ended in the early afternoon.
Streets in the neighborhoods of Aerolândia, São João do Tauape, Vila União and Montese woke up covered by smoke.
In a note released at around 10 am, the Fire Department of Ceará informed that the fire had apparent outbreaks, but also “many underground and some in the pantry”.
At the same time, four of the 12 fire spots were receiving 500 liter jets of water, fired from above by a helicopter that was part of the operation.
In the morning, strong winds in the region, at 31 kilometers per hour, made the brigade members’ work difficult. This is because the force of the wind increased the combustion of the fire and helped to spread the flames throughout the area, in addition to spreading smoke.
The fire-fighting operation had at least six teams from the Fire Department of Ceará and 18 forest brigade members from the State Environment Department. As the place is difficult to access, combat had to be predominantly manual to the flames.
The fire affected the region’s biodiversity, as it consumed grass and aquatic plants, according to information provided by firefighters. In addition, animals had to be rescued by the brigade members.
Traffic was also impacted in Fortaleza. On two of the city’s main avenues, Raul Barbosa and Murilo Borges, visibility was compromised because of the smoke.
There was also a blockade of traffic on streets and avenues close to the park, which caused difficulties in the flow of traffic during peak hours in the morning and altered the circulation of bus lines.
Residents near the park also reported that homes were affected by soot, a black substance from fire.
Some people had to leave their homes due to the strong smell and went to sleep in the homes of relatives or friends. Those who had nowhere to go had to endure adversity during the night.
Through social networks, the mayor of Fortaleza, José Sarto (PDT), said that the city is monitoring the situation in Parque do Cocó.
“We are monitoring the situation and we also have teams from the Municipal Guard providing support on the spot. In addition, I have made myself available to the State Government for whatever else is needed,” he said.
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