The Portuguese Red Cross (CVP) has sent 280 kilograms of materials to Madeira, including cots, blankets, feminine and masculine hygiene kits and two AED backpacks to strengthen response capacity on the island.
In a statement released Thursday, the organisation said the shipment of materials is intended to “empower the local CVP structure, strengthening its resilience in the face of future contingencies.”
“This continuous strengthening of the capacities of our local structures is essential to provide immediate and prompt assistance and care,” says the national president of the Portuguese Red Cross, António Saraiva, quoted in the note.
The CVP emergency structure in Madeira, where a rural fire has been raging for nine days, has seven fully equipped ambulances and more than 80 people, including health workers (namely rescuers and nurses), who are responding on a voluntary basis to emergency pre-hospital care and other needs arising in the region.
The material is sent through the Red Cross Emergency Fund, to which you can donate at the link https://apoiar.cruzvermelha.pt/.
The rural fire on the island of Madeira broke out on August 14 in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava and gradually spread to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and through Pico Ruivo Santana.
Authorities ordered about 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 those in Fajã das Galinhas, in Camara de Lobos.
Fighting the blaze is being made difficult by wind and high temperatures, but no damage to homes or important infrastructure has been reported.
Some firefighters were treated for exhaustion or minor injuries without further injury.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System, the area of burnt areas exceeds 4,930 hectares.
The Judicial Police are investigating the cause of the fire, but the President of the Executive Power of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, said it was arson.