Just after midday today a fire broke out on the Costa Vicentina, in the Algarve, near Alfambras, in the municipality of Aljezur.
Within an hour, the strong winds were fanning flames, requiring response by multiple fire stations.
At 2.30pm, there were over 300 firefighters on the ground, backed by 100 appliances and a changing number of aerial support craft (at time of writing eight, rapidly increasing to 19).
As a source for civil protection has confirmed, the wind – gusting at up to 50 km/ hour – is what is hampering effective combat.
For the time being, there appear to be no homes or infrastructures at risk: the fire is confined to a forested/ scrub area, which can be seen here. But it is moving towards homes and properties. Some reports talk of three active fronts, others of four.
One local Portuguese media outlet says this fire began as a result of agricultural work. CMTV understands that it began at a picnic spot.
Road closures around the fire are being reported, and can be found on apps like Waze. The road particularly between Monte Ruivo and Alfambras has been closed to traffic. Essentially, all the main roads around Alfambras are being cut at certain points.
The worry at 6pm today was that the fierce north wind would take this fire into the ‘mata’ of Barão de São João, where there is a substantial wind farm. If this happens, the situation could become even more complicated, as the ‘mata’ is filled with combustible material, and leads down towards the villages of Barão (de São João and Miguel), and into the municipality of Lagos. Firefighters are already strategically placed, as can be seen from the image below, showing the entrance to the ‘Mata’ from Barão de São João village.
Reports from Barão de São João are that residents living in outlying areas, particularly ‘the valley’ (Vale de Bordeira), dotted with properties – many of them owned by long-term foreign residents – have already been evacuated by the authorities.
One has told us of one wind turbine in the forest already having exploded, making “a terrible noise”.
Residents living outside Barão São Miguel have also started being evacuated, more as a precaution than anything else – but it shows how careful authorities are being about this fire, which is being massively discussed on social media pages, and receiving ‘wrap-around reporting’ on CMTV.
Community whatsapp groups have started, with people on them offering space to those who find themselves evacuated from their homes/ unable to reach them due to road blocks, and requests for help being shared. Some residents on these groups have wondered out loud why it is that the local councils never share information, or tell people what is happening. “Why do we always have to organise ourselves?” Asks one – a very relevant question considering we are approaching municipal elections. Villa managers have also lamented the fact that there is no information for the tourists that are still here on holiday.
What we understand is that there will be a press conference at 7.30pm, to which the mayors of Aljezur and Lagos will be present, to give more of an idea of where this fire is headed (in terms of geography and intensity).
Meantime, firefighters from as far away as Lisbon have been arriving in columns of vehicles, as CMTV reports that already over 450 hectares have been affected by this blaze.
