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New monitoring tools, real-time alerts, and operational reinforcement expand São Paulo’s strategy against forest fires during the red phase of Operation SP Without Fire 2026.
The Civil Defense of the State of São Paulo has started using artificial intelligence, integrated cameras, satellite monitoring, and alerts sent by drivers on Waze to enhance the prevention and combat of forest fires during the red phase of Operation SP Without Fire 2026.
This period receives greater attention from the public authorities due to drought, low humidity, and increased risk of fires in different regions of the state.
The measures were presented on June 2, at the Palácio dos Bandeirantes in São Paulo, as part of the state contingency plan for the fire season.
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According to the São Paulo government, the strategy combines technology, equipment, training of municipal teams, and integration between state agencies.
The main resource announced is the SP Without Fire Intelligence Panel, a platform that gathers meteorological data, risk maps, incident records, and real-time monitoring information.
With the support of artificial intelligence, the system cross-references these databases to guide operational decisions, such as team deployment and the definition of priority areas.
Satellite data will also be used to identify fire outbreaks in the initial stage, as reported by the São Paulo Department of Environment, Infrastructure, and Logistics.
The tool aims to expand monitoring capacity in rural areas, conservation units, roadside areas, and regions with a history of fires.
Satellite monitoring, cameras, and Waze in Operation SP Without Fire
The so-called Fire Wall is another front incorporated into Operation SP Without Fire.
The system will use images from the Muralha Paulista program cameras, already distributed throughout the state, to assist in identifying smoke and fire outbreaks.
The monitoring network will be complemented by equipment installed on highways managed by concessionaires and the Department of Roads.
Thus, images from structures already used in security and road monitoring will become part of the work of prevention and response to environmental occurrences.
The Civil Defense also announced a partnership with Waze.
Through the app, drivers will be able to report active fire outbreaks during travel, and this information will be forwarded for evaluation by the teams responsible for monitoring.
The use of data sent by the population does not replace the technical verification of occurrences.
According to the state government, the alerts will serve as an additional source of information to support the monitoring of roads and areas near vegetation.
“We are strengthening the SP Without Fire operation with intelligence, real-time monitoring, and expanding the operational capacity of municipalities to reduce risks and respond quickly and efficiently to new fire outbreaks,” said the state coordinator of Civil Protection and Defense, Colonel PM Rinaldo de Araujo Monteiro.
Contingency plan against fires in São Paulo
The 2026 contingency plan foresees action in 613 municipalities in São Paulo, a number 55% higher than recorded in 2024, according to the state government.
The structure includes more than 3,000 agents and includes the purchase of 100 water trucks, 23 vehicles, 220 fire-fighting kits, and more than 300 pieces of equipment.
Among the items planned are helmets, lighting towers, and blowers to support field teams.
The distribution of resources aims to serve municipalities with greater exposure to vegetation fires and improve the local response to new occurrences.
Before the most critical phase of the operation, Civil Defense promoted 16 in-person training sessions in all regions of the state.
The training sessions brought together multiplier agents and municipal teams, with guidelines on prevention, operational strategies, monitoring, and quick response.
The state government reported that the performance of municipalities is considered a central part of the plan.
In many occurrences, local teams are the first to arrive at fire points and pass on information for the mobilization of regional or state structures.
Red phase reinforces environmental combat and inspection
The São Paulo Without Fire Operation occurs permanently throughout the year but is divided into phases according to the level of risk.
The green phase includes planning and evaluation actions; the yellow phase prioritizes prevention and preparation; and the red phase, from June to October, reinforces combat, inspection, and preventive communication.
During this period, reduced rainfall, dry vegetation, and low humidity increase the risk of fire spread.
Environmental and civil defense technicians point out that human action, intentional or accidental, is also among the factors associated with fires.
The operation is conducted in an integrated manner by the departments of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Public Safety, and Civil Defense.
The Fire Department, Environmental Military Police, the Department of Agriculture and Supply, Cetesb, DER, and the Forest Foundation also participate.
The coordination between the agencies allows for the gathering of environmental inspection, emergency response, highway monitoring, and the supervision of protected areas.
Each institution operates within its responsibilities, but with data sharing and operational communication.
Conservation units will have reinforced monitoring
The Directorate of Environmental Protection and Inspection and the Forest Foundation will work on the on-site monitoring of 24 conservation units classified as high-risk areas for forest fires.
The activities began during the yellow phase, before the most critical period.
According to the state government, the teams conducted 72 hours of technical inspections, covered more than 1,100 kilometers, and issued 23 notifications to highways and concessionaires.
The actions involved inspecting sensitive areas and checking conditions that may favor the spread of fire.
The Forest Foundation also reported that it will expand the use of artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and data science tools.
Among the planned resources are automated fire severity maps, operational panels, integration of national and international satellite platforms, drones with thermal cameras, and mobile apps for georeferenced field occurrence recording.
These tools will be used to record affected areas, monitor active hotspots, and guide teams in hard-to-reach locations.
In the case of drones with thermal cameras, the technology allows for the identification of heat variations that may indicate fire points or reignition.
El Niño in 2026 and risk of forest fires
The preparation in São Paulo takes place amid international monitoring of the formation of El Niño in 2026.
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center bulletin, released on May 14, indicated an 82% chance of the phenomenon emerging between May and July and a 96% probability of continuation between December 2026 and February 2027.
However, NOAA itself stated that there was still significant uncertainty about the maximum intensity of the event.
For this reason, the classification of severe El Niño should be treated as a risk scenario mentioned in climate forecasts, not as a definitive confirmation.
The World Meteorological Organization also warned of the possibility of a strong El Niño in 2026 but maintained reservations about the degree of intensity.
In recent statements, the agency highlighted that the phenomenon can raise global temperatures and influence extreme events in different regions.
In Brazil, the effects of El Niño vary according to the region and the time of year.
Meteorology experts often associate the phenomenon with changes in rainfall and temperature patterns, but local consequences depend on other atmospheric and oceanic factors.
In São Paulo, operational concern falls on the combination of drought, heat, low humidity, dry vegetation, and human action.
The SP Without Fire Operation concentrates resources to detect outbreaks, mobilize teams, and reduce damage in urban, rural, and environmental areas.
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