A fire that has been raging on the island of Madeira for eight days has intensified in Ponta do Sol and is expected to burn overnight, but the municipality said fire equipment was ready to protect homes.
As Mayoral President Célia Pessegueiro told Luce around 6:30 p.m., the fire in the municipality “has progressed somewhat negatively” because “due to the slope along the riverbank” of Ponta do Sol, “two famous levadas, widely used as tourist routes, are burning: Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho.”
“These routes have already been closed since Sunday evening, we have been reinforcing them throughout the day, we have had our city council officers at the entrance to make sure they don’t get through” because “it is extremely dangerous” since above these levadas “it is already burning with some intensity” and “it is a very steep section”, the mayor explained.
The municipal president said she was on the opposite bank of the river “to be able to have a wider view of the area and also to see the burnt area” and witnessed “landslides”.
“The stones break from the heat, they become loose, and with them comes dirt, trees, and therefore it is completely inappropriate. I don’t know, in fact, maybe it even affects some part of the route, and not the levadas, because the water continues to pass, and this is our reference information, but on the route itself there may already be points with some insecurity and instability,” he warned.
The blaze had spread along a riverside and a mountain ridge and was contained using trails as firebreaks, but the fire “eventually increased in intensity” late Tuesday and overnight as temperatures did not drop and winds also picked up, despite not having much force and joining another front, the mayor said.
Thus, the mayor foresees hard work the following night, “if it is not possible to contain it in the area where it is located”, because “the natural containment zone has already been passed, which would be good” and it will be possible to climb the slope and “get to housing”.
“In any case, these are houses that are close to roads and people are easy to remove, and it is easy to fight near houses, this is our reserve of strength, so to speak, and what gives us some peace of mind, remember, because with the help of We can very easily help people,” emphasized Celia Pessegueiro.
“Moreover, if that happens, the resources will also be relatively close, and therefore very easy to move here to the area where the people are,” he added.
According to the president of the municipality, the team includes firefighters from Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol, São Vicente, volunteers from Câmara de Lobos and Madeira, as well as special forces with heavy and light equipment.
“A drop in temperature at night could slow things down to such an extent that a combat point would be found or even areas would appear where counter fire was possible, and it had already been used,” the mayor emphasized, noting, however, that everything could change. “within 15 minutes, half an hour.”
Therefore, he added, it is not expected that “there will be room for any demobilisation this afternoon and evening” and work is expected to continue on Thursday.
The rural fire on the island of Madeira broke out a week ago, on August 14, in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava, gradually spreading to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and, through Pico Ruivo, Santana.
During these eight days, authorities ordered almost 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and set up community reception centres, but many residents have already returned, with the exception of Fajã das Galinhas, in Camara de Lobos.
The fight against the fire was complicated by the dying wind and high temperatures, but there was no evidence of destruction of houses or vital infrastructure.
Some firefighters were treated for exhaustion or minor injuries without further injury.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System, cited by the president of the Regional Civil Protection Service, António Nunes, indicates that approximately 4,393 hectares had been burned as of 12:00 on Tuesday.
The Judicial Police is investigating the cause of the fire, but the President of the Executive Power of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, has already declared it was arson.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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