Suzano's integrated system with 57 video monitoring towers, artificial intelligence, and a thermal drone operates 24/7 and covers over 1 million hectares of forest in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil during the dry season.
June 18, 2026 (Press Release) - Suzano has strengthened its forest fire prevention and combat system in Mato Grosso do Sul with two new technologies ahead of the dry season, expected from August to October: an artificial intelligence program for automatic smoke plume detection and a high-resolution thermal camera drone. The system covers over 1 million hectares of forest areas in the state and directly protects over 300,000 hectares of native vegetation and preservation areas within the Cerrado biome.
The company's annual investment in this operation in Mato Grosso do Sul is R$ 25 million.
PaperAge editor's note: The Cerrado is a vast ecoregion of tropical savanna in central Brazil, being present in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná and the Federal District. The core areas of the Cerrado biome are the Brazilian Highlands
"The Cerrado defines the landscape of Mato Grosso do Sul. When fire season arrives, the threat isn't just to vegetation; it impacts entire communities and the lives of thousands of wild animal species. Therefore, our responsibility extends far beyond planted areas. We continuously invest to ensure our structure acts as a frontline in protecting native areas and communities surrounding our operations," states Amarildo José Nunes, Suzano's Asset Intelligence Manager in Mato Grosso do Sul.
The operation involves 241 professionals during the critical period: 167 permanent contracted firefighters and 74 forestry operation employees integrated as support staff. During the dry season, between August and October, the reinforced teams reduce the average response time by up to 15 minutes, bringing it to approximately one hour between detection and the start of firefighting.
The structure also includes two aircraft, water trucks, and vehicles equipped with firefighting kits. This year, part of the older fleet was replaced by two new water trucks and five new Hilux pickup trucks with firefighting kits, enhancing operational reliability in the field. Satellite trackers are now used for real-time location of brigades during operations.
The 57 video monitoring towers, strategically distributed across forestry operations, operate with 360-degree cameras and continuously transmit images to the control centers in Três Lagoas and Ribas do Rio Pardo. With the integration of artificial intelligence, smoke signals are automatically identified, reducing the interval between detection and team deployment.
The DJI Mavic 3T drone operates with a high-resolution thermal camera and a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, combined with a zoom system of up to 56 times, allowing it to detect heat sources on the ground and in vegetation before any smoke signal is visible. In the field, the equipment flies over incident areas and transmits real-time images, guiding the positioning of brigades with a precision that would not be possible through tower monitoring alone.
Firefighting actions are carried out in an integrated manner with other companies associated with Reflore, the South Mato Grosso Association of Forest Producers, with shared information coordination and operational support throughout the dry season.
"No structure, no matter how large, can solve a problem of the magnitude of fires in a region like the Cerrado alone. Partnerships with other companies and producers in the region are an essential part of what we do in the state," adds Amarildo.
Suzano maintains 1.136 million hectares of planted eucalyptus forests in Mato Grosso do Sul, with 327,000 hectares exclusively dedicated to biodiversity conservation, including permanent preservation areas and native vegetation.
Suzano is the largest hardwood pulp producer in the world, operating eight pulp mills in Brazil with a combined production capacity of 13.5 million tons per year of pulp. Based in Brazil, the company also produces paper and tissue.
SOURCE: Suzano