Banca de DEFESA: CARLA SIMONE GIROTTO DE ALMEIDA PINA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
DISCENTE : CARLA SIMONE GIROTTO DE ALMEIDA PINA
DATA : 16/12/2025
HORA: 09:00
LOCAL: Sala virtual do google meet (10 horas em Brasília / 9 horas em Mato Grosso)
TÍTULO:

The Impact of Wildfires on the Health of Military Firefighters and Pantanal Fire Brigades

PALAVRAS-CHAVES:

Air pollutants, wildfires, occupational health, health effects, fire suppression.

PÁGINAS: 130
GRANDE ÁREA: Outra
ÁREA: Ciências Ambientais
RESUMO:

High temperatures associated with low relative humidity have contributed to the increasing extent and intensity of wildfires in the Pantanal biome. In 2020, the Pantanal experienced an intense drought, considered one of the most severe in recorded history. As a consequence, fires affected approximately 30% of the original biome area. The municipalities of Cáceres, Poconé, and Barão de Melgaço were among the most impacted in the state of Mato Grosso—regions that comprise some of the most socially and environmentally vulnerable communities in the Pantanal. Professionals engaged in wildfire suppression and control activities are directly exposed to extreme heat and high concentrations of multiple air pollutants, with potential health implications. This thesis is structured into three manuscripts and one additional chapter (Chapter IV) and aims to assess the health impacts resulting from both acute and chronic exposure to wildfire-related pollutants among firefighters and military personnel involved in fire suppression efforts in the Pantanal region and its surroundings. Furthermore, it incorporates qualitative data from participants’ accounts regarding the occupational risks they face. The first manuscript explores environmental history in the context of Brazil’s political and economic development—from the Colonial period to the present-day Republic—highlighting the country’s public health system, marked by repeated restructurings. The transition in government in 2023 offers a renewed opportunity to strengthen public health surveillance programs, especially those such as VIGIAR, which are increasingly relevant in the context of the climate crisis and the rising frequency of wildfires. The second manuscript presents the development of a methodological protocol designed to evaluate health effects associated with acute exposure to wildfire smoke pollutants among firefighters and military personnel operating in the Pantanal. The third manuscript provides a qualitative account of the experiences of firefighters who participated in wildfire suppression in 2023, aiming to understand the physical, psychological, and logistical challenges they faced during and after fire events. The findings are intended to support the development of public policies focused on occupational health and improved working conditions for these professionals. Chapter IV presents the results of the research conducted with wildfire brigades and military firefighters during the year 2023, aimed at identifying the health effects resulting from acute and chronic exposure to pollutants from forest fires. Through a health situation analysis and the evaluation of inflammatory markers, the study included 12 brigade members from the Cáceres Brigade, based in the Limoeiro Settlement, and 60 military firefighters from the Fire Department of Cuiabá. The participants were predominantly male (89%), aged between 21 and 50 years (69.5%), and 40% were married. Regarding working conditions, it was observed that, for both groups (brigade members and firefighters), the number of working hours during fire combat ranged between 6 and 12 hours. Among the main difficulties reported were the lack of adequate infrastructure (53% of participants) and the type of employment contract: brigade members worked under service provision contracts with no formal employment bond, while firefighters held permanent state positions. Water availability was insufficient for 68% of participants, and 89% reported experiencing some effects related to smokeexposure. Concerning health conditions, 47% of participants reported runny nose, 31% nasal obstruction, 35% sneezing, and 27% eye irritation. However, spirometry, chest X-ray, and electrocardiogram examinations performed before the fire season (rainy period) and after the fire season (dry period) showed no alterations. In laboratory tests, no general abnormalities were observed, though some isolated changes drew attention. With respect to inflammatory markers, the mean blood level of malondialdehyde was lower after exposure among brigade members (4.6 µmol/L), while no difference was observed among military firefighters. Glutathione peroxidase activity was 30% higher after exposure to heat/fire/physical stress compared to before (95.5 U/L vs 66.1 U/L) in brigade members. In contrast, serum GSH-Px activity among military firefighters was lower (23.1 U/L) after exposure compared to the pre-exposure period (82.1 U/L). It is considered that, during the research year, several limitations were present, such as limited fire exposure, delays in post-combat examinations, a small sample size of brigade members in the second phase of the study, and the fact that firefighters spent most of their time in transit. Despite these limitations, the study highlights the need for further research and separate health assessments for the two groups. Nevertheless, it is understood that many post-combat symptoms could be mitigated with improved infrastructure, sufficient and compliant personal protective equipment (PPE), and special attention to the health care of these professionals before, during, and after forest fire combat operations in the Pantanal region.

MEMBROS DA BANCA:
Presidente - 82314101 - ELIANE IGNOTTI
Interno - 61265003 - ANTONIO FRANCISCO MALHEIROS
Interno - 80970002 - DIONEI JOSE DA SILVA
Interno - 118188003 - ERNANDES SOBREIRA OLIVEIRA JUNIOR
Interna - 181.924.407-53 - SANDRA DE SOUZA HACON - Fiocruz - RJ
Externa à Instituição - BEATRIZ FATIMA ALVES DE OLIVEIRA - Fiocruz - RJ