Portugal ‘activates’ European mechanism following increasing acrimony in Madeira
Portugal called yesterday for international assistance with wildfires in Madeira, activating the European Civil Protection mechanism, which means Spain has stepped in to offer the help of two heavy-duty Canadair water-bombers.
The planes should be up in the air this afternoon, tackling the fire that has been devastating Madeira’s ‘green heart’ and terrifying locals for over a week.
But it won’t be ‘simple’: there are those that say the Canadairs are not the aircraft to negotiate the steep valleys still ablaze. What is consensual is that the one helicopter that has been working flat out since last Wednesday (August 14) is not enough.
This has led the professional firefighters to insist “once again” that central government deploy additional air resources to the island chain.
Even before the Canadairs’ arrival was announced, firefighting bodies ANBP and SNBP (respectively. the national association of professional firefighters and national union of professional firefighters) were suggesting two Air Tractor or Fire Boss aircraft (much easier to navigate Madeira’s complicated terrain) should be sent post-haste. As the associations explained: “the terrain makes it difficult and almost impossible for firefighters to operate”, which is a contributory factor to why this fire has lasted so long.
At a press conference last night, president of the regional government, Miguel Albuquerque, said the two Canadair will be fuelled on the island of Porto Santo with drinking water from hydrants at the airport.
These planes will be “used above all in the central mountain range”, he said, stressing that “none of these aircraft can be used either in urban or agricultural areas, because they discharge around 6,000 litres of water each time”. (In fact, a tragedy recently happened in Spain when an elderly man was hit by a water discharge, and killed).
Mr Albuquerque’s ‘performance’ during this fire (the fact that he did not return from holiday for four days; got into political arguments with the opposition when he did – and then returned to his holiday) has earned the already fragilised PSD leader further criticism, with CHEGA’s party leader André Ventura saying ‘hopefully’ his treatment of this situation will see the end of him.
As for the awful swathe cut by this fire, there are now thought to be upwards of 8,000 hectares burnt and blackened – while the consequences for people and Nature are ominous. Conservationists are already saying it could take years for Nature to recover from this holocaust.
This morning there are two areas of active fire. The one that has evolved towards the central mountain range, mainly in Achada do Teixeira, Pico Ruivo, is the most worrying, according to a civil protection source.
“At the moment, we still have two areas that cause us concern, mainly in Achada do Teixeira, Pico Ruivo, in the central mountain range of the island of Madeira. In this area, during the night we had some developments due to the wind, and the fire has progressed up the eastern slope of Pico Ruivo and is descending towards Fajã da Nogueira, which is an area of concern”, António Nunes, the president of the Regional Civil Protection Service told Lusa.
According to Nunes, flames are also progressing downwards in a northerly direction towards Caldeirão do Inferno, in the municipality of Santana, which is a point of heightened concern because it is in the island’s unique Laurissilva forest – an environmental heritage of inestimable importance. (The Laurissilva forest, is about 20 million years old, which makes it a form of vibrant ‘living fossil’.)
“In the Laurissilva, the fire is progressing more slowly. Around those hills it’s impossible to control because it’s not possible to reach those escarpments as the slopes are very steep”, he said.
As far as Ponta do Sol is concerned, the fire has been progressing “according to the wind.
“It is progressing laterally on the escarpment. We have personnel stationed at the top of the escarpment and we have to wait for the flames to reach a place where the slope allows direct combat”, he explained.
According to António Nunes, the two Canadair aircraft will only start work “if weather conditions allow”.
This fire began in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava on August 14, gradually spreading to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and, via Pico Ruivo, Santana.
Authorities have instructed nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and have made public reception facilities available. Many residents have already returned to their properties, with the exception of those in Fajã das Galinhas, in Câmara de Lobos, who have explained they are far too terrified. The problem, they stress, is not just the issue of fire, but the fact that ‘when the rains come’, there could be devastating landslides, as the vegetation that supported the hills and slopes will no longer be able to do so.
The one saving grace is that despite the intensity and length of this terrible blaze, there are still no reports of homes or essential infrastructure having been destroyed.
Some firefighters have received assistance due to exhaustion and minor injuries, but there are no other casualties.
PJ Judicial Police are investigating the causes of the fire, but Miguel Albuquerque insists it was arson. ND
Source material: LUSA
