Fourteen classified hiking trails and four recreation areas in Madeira are closed this Sunday due to rural fires on the island, the Regional Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) said.
The IFCN information states that the following trails are closed: Ilha, Pico Ruivo, Lagoa do Vento, Pico Fernandes, Tunel do Cavalo, Camara de Carga do Rabasal and Palha Carga, as well as the levadas 25 Fontes, Velha Rabasal, Risco, Alecrim, Paul II – Path for Everyone and Rocha Vermelha.
Caminho do Pinhaculo and Foliadal are still impassable.
The recreation areas of Fonte do Bispo, Cruzinhas, Fanal and Rabaçal are also closed, and the institute advises against travel to the mountainous areas of the region.
Hiking trails are a very popular place among visitors and residents.
Madeira has suffered a major fire that broke out on Wednesday morning in Serra de Agua, Ribeira Brava municipality, in an area that is difficult to access, and then spread to the neighbouring municipality of Camara de Lobos.
At least 160 people have been forced to flee their homes due to fires in two municipalities, a source in the Regional Secretariat of Health and Civil Protection told Lusa.
According to the latest report published by the Regional Civil Protection Service, at 8:30 a.m. there were three fronts in action: in the areas of Curral das Freiras and Fajã das Galinhas, in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos and in Serra de Água, in Ribeira Brava.
The fire is being fought by 120 operators from all fire departments in the region, supported by 43 vehicles and the archipelago’s air force, and since Sunday the region has also received support from 76 units of the Joint National Emergency Management and Civil Protection Force.
The Regional Civil Protection Action Plan of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (PREPCRAM) was activated in response to the “seriousness of the situation”.
All areas of Madeira are under the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) orange warning for hot weather, while the island of Porto Santo is under yellow level.
A yellow warning, the least serious of the three, is issued by IPMA whenever a risk situation arises for certain activities depending on the meteorological situation, while an orange warning (level two) is issued when a moderate risk meteorological situation is too high.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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