Wildfires in Amazonia: A pilot study examining the role of farming systems, social capital, and fire contagion

Environmental destruction caused by fires threatens to forever change the eco- logical composition of tropical rainforests. Researchers have addressed the role of drought and logging on fire propagation and the ecological consequences of fires. Nevertheless, little is known about its human dimensions. This lack of information is of concern be- cause it represents a real and important gap in our own understanding about a major global change factor. This paper attempts to partly redress this shortcoming by presenting a pilot study that considers the importance of farming systems and social capital to the mitigation or exacerbation of fire in Amazonia. The paper explores the theoretical con- nection between social capital and fire contagion, and presents results from a pilot study examining such links. This study combines satellite data analysis and data on community organization derived from household surveys in the municipio of Uruará in the State of Pará, Brazil.