Rural fires in Paraná require new deadlines and reparations

Through Ordinance No. 360, the Water and Land Institute (IAT) established new procedures and guidelines for rural landowners in Paraná in cases of accidental or criminal fires on their land. By the end of September, the state had recorded 11.927 fires this year, according to the state government. The numbers indicate that Paraná is expected to surpass 12 annual occurrences and achieve the worst result in the last five years.

The ordinance will be valid during the validity of State Decree No. 7.258/2024, issued in September, which waives bidding for services, works and acquisition of goods to combat drought in the state for up to 180 days. During this period, rural property owners must take several precautions in the event of fires occurring on their properties. It will be mandatory to notify the authorities within 90 days by registering a police report and other information.

“The data that must be provided by rural property owners include the start and end dates of the event, the conditions under which it occurred, and a presentation of possible causes and suspicions. It will also be necessary to specify the location affected, describe the conditions of the area before the fire, and report the environmental damage caused,” advises lawyer Nahima Razuk (pictured), from the Razuk Barreto Valiati law firm.

Repair will be required

With this data, authorities can require the execution of a “Term of Commitment to Repair Environmental Damage”, including a Project for the Recovery of Degraded Areas (PRAD) within 15 days. In the case of small properties, this action will be simplified. “The PRAD foresees the necessary initiatives for the recovery of native vegetation, with a diagnosis of degradation and which techniques will be adopted for full recovery, including an implementation and monitoring schedule”, he concludes.

The IAT is also authorized to issue administrative notifications if the landowner is considered directly responsible for the fire, has contributed to its spread or if there is evidence of criminal occurrences. “It is important that the rural landowner is aware of these rules, even if they are temporary, as they may be subject to administrative, civil and even criminal sanctions in the event of non-compliance, even if they are not responsible for the start of the fire,” highlights the lawyer.

In the event of an accidental fire, the IAT undertakes to provide native seedlings for the repair of the area, following the schedule and rules established by the PRAD. “If there is proof of a criminal incident, no conversion of land use can be made. In other words, there will be a requirement to restore the degraded area,” adds Nahima Razuk.