Avaliação de Métodos de Construção de Aceiros Para Prevenção de Incêndios Florestais no Cerrado

We evaluated four methods of constructing firebreaks in order to prevent the spread of forest fires. The work was performed in a fragment of Cerrado sensu stricto, located margin of BR 251, near the border with the Clean Water Farm (FAL), the experimental station of the University of Brasilia (UnB). The treatments involved the construction of firebreak with the use of heat (T1), semi-mechanized mowing (T2), harrowing (T3) and mowing machine (T4). Over the range of Cerrado sensu stricto were installed 16 plots of 40 x 50 m (2000 m²), randomly distributed, representing the four treatments with four replicates each. In each plot was given the charge of combustible material. The evaluation of the methods was made based on the income earned, and operating costs impacts the ground. The following conclusions could be drawn from the study: (a) the average load of combustible materials found in the area was less than the literature values, (b) the best performance value found medium (ha 0.59 hour-1) was to the method of construction of firebreaks with the use of fire, (c) the lowest operating cost was found for treatment with semi-mechanized mowing (US$ 13.27 ha-1), and (d) there was no statistical difference between treatments on soil compaction.