Diagnóstico da ocorrência de queimadas na cidade de São João do Piauí a partir de dados de satélite

Abstract

It is well known that fires affect global biodiversity and the general population, causing various human health issues, soil degradation, and global warming. While farmers frequently use fire to clear land for cultivation and prepare pastures, improper or unmanaged burning can cause significant damage to both the environment and the population. Therefore, this study aims to survey fire occurrences over the last ten years (2016–2025) in the municipality of São João do Piauí, analyzing intensity patterns, hotspots, vulnerable areas, and correlations with regional climatic variables. This highlights the importance of studying such disturbances and their potential impacts on the population and the environment. Data on fire hotspots were obtained from the BDQueimadas platform, based on satellite imagery received by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Climatological data—including average precipitation (mm), compensated average temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), and average wind speed (m/s)—were sourced from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) database. The results revealed positive intra-annual correlations between the number of fire hotspots and both temperature and wind speed, and a negative correlation with relative humidity; these findings corroborate previous studies and highlight the seasonal nature of fire in the Cerrado. However, no significant correlation was observed with precipitation, indicating a decoupling of fire activity from this variable. Conversely, inter-annual analyses showed no significant correlations between fire occurrence and climatic variables, suggesting that these parameters did not directly influence fire activity over the years studied. Other macro-ecological factors may be driving the inter-annual fire dynamics in the region.