BP Bunge Bioenergia consolidates the adoption of a satellite fire monitoring system

After rigorous efficiency tests, BP Bunge Bioenergia, one of the largest companies in Brazil in the sugar-energy sector, is consolidating the adoption of a fire monitoring system that will operate in sugarcane areas and use satellite images.

The platform, developed by GMG Ambiental, allows teams to be alerted to possible fires in and around sugarcane fields. Using artificial intelligence, the system can autonomously identify hot spots, issue visual and audible alerts in the monitoring rooms, and make a warning call to firefighting brigades. The tool also includes sending alerts via WhatsApp, indicating the coordinates of the fire outbreak.

“BP Bunge never uses fire in its activities in the cane fields. The entire harvest of its 11 units is 100% mechanized. But we live with the risk of fires in sugarcane fields, especially in times of drought, such as the current one. Therefore, in addition to having facilities and personnel ready to identify fires, the company has invested significantly to reduce the risk of fires,” said Nadia Gama, Director of HSSE (Health, Safety, Security and Environment) at BP Bunge.

The platform adopted by BP Bunge uses 13 satellites that monitor plantation areas and their surroundings, providing features that streamline the response to fire occurrences and generating complete reports for preventive planning.

“Fighting fires requires that outbreaks be identified as quickly as possible so that firefighters, supported by water trucks, can urgently arrive at the scene. For that reason, having a tool that uses satellite images and offers agile warning systems, such as the GMG platform, is an advantage that has significantly contributed to the success of our company’s firefighting actions,” explained Ms. Gama.

In addition to the platform with satellite image, the Fire Prevention and Firefighting Program invests in the acquisition and maintenance of equipment; training and management of teams with hundreds of brigade members; cleaning procedures for machines and access earth roads; maintenance of firebreaks; promotion of internal and external prevention campaigns, including in partnership with the sector’s Associations in each operating state; and management of support systems.