In a team that wins, it doesn't move. The expression used in sports could very well be applied to the Algarve's Special Device for Combating Forest Fires (DECIF) for 2016, which practically does not change compared to last year, in which the burned area was 15 times lower than the average of the previous 10 years, although there were two fires of considerable size outside the period considered most critical.
In relation to 2015, the main innovations are the recovery of two Sapadores Florestais teams, in Lagos and Vila do Bispo, and the creation of another Municipal Forest Intervention Team.
Another measure that will be introduced in 2016 is the creation of a Forest Fire Fighting Group with firefighters who are not part of the intervention teams, whenever the region is on orange alert or higher, regarding the risk of fire, «which will be prepositioned to the order of the Regional Operational Commander».
«The Sapadores Florestais Teams have a decisive role, as they are in the field all over the world and know the forest areas very well. In the last two years, we could not count on the teams from Lagos and Vila do Bispo, due to a difference that existed locally. Fortunately, these issues seem to have been overcome and are now part of the device again», underlined the Operational Commander of Algarve Grouping of Civil Protection Vaz Pinto.
This reinforcement becomes more precious because they are teams that contribute a lot to the prevention and early detection of fires, since one of the secrets to prevent too much burnt area is to quickly control the fires, putting them out in the phase. of initial attack.
“Killing” fires at birth is the ideal situation and is often achieved – “In 2015, 98 per cent of fires were put out in the initial attack phase” - but the remaining 2 per cent must always be counted on, where it is necessary to advance to the amplified attack.
For this, there is a permanent device, which is reinforced during periods of greater fire risk. “The device is ready to respond from January to December. But there is a natural reinforcement in the period considered most critical, namely in the Bravo, Charlie and Delta phases, between May 15th and October 31st», illustrated Vaz Pinto.
During the Charlie phase, between the 1st of July and the 30th of September, the one in which the risk of forest fires is theoretically higher, 492 men will be permanently assigned to DECIF in the Algarve, supported by 118 vehicles. During the Bravo phase (May 15th to June 30th) the device will be composed of 372 operators and 89 vehicles and in Delta (October 1st to 31st) 285 men and 73 vehicles.
Also in terms of air resources, the same strategy adopted in recent years is maintained, based on two light initial attack helicopters and a third medium combat helicopter, to which is added a fourth air force, which, despite being stationed in Ourique, can support the Algarve region.
These three air vehicles, plus one, arrive in a phased manner and will only be used in the region at the same time between 1st July and 30th September. On May 15, a light helicopter, equipped for the initial attack, begins operating from Monchique. On the 15th of June, a medium fire-fighting helicopter becomes available in Loulé. During the Charlie Phase, the one with the highest risk of forest fires, there will also be helix light in Cachopo and Ourique.
Before the arrival of medium air means, the Kamov helicopter will be stationed in Loulé, which is permanently assigned to the region, to fight fires and transport patients. “On July 1, the Kamov is replaced by a medium fire fighting helicopter. At that time, INEM also sends other air transport to the region», he explained.
In these three phases of greater risk, in addition to the teams that the different corporations have always ready to react, «two reinforcement brigades, Barlavento and Sotavento, ready to go out by the minute 24 hours a day and composed of two combat vehicles and an auto-tank». The initial attack is also supported by a light helicopter.
Investment in re-equipment of Fire Brigade corporations will continue in 2016
This year, the Government will channel 24 million euros of EU funds from Portugal 2020 for the acquisition of equipment and vehicles, but also for the improvement of infrastructure, to which local authorities and fire brigades can apply.
“In May, a notice will be launched to open the tender for improvements in the barracks, with a budget of 7 million euros. We will also launch, next month, a tender with an allocation of 5 million euros for the acquisition of equipment», announced, during the DECIF presentation session, the Secretary of State for Civil Protection Jorge Gomes.
The member of Government also announced that the Executive intends to "repeat the procedure in October". “For the year, we will return 24 million to this area. And, if we manage to execute everything, in the following year we will allocate much more», he added.
A measure that meets the aspirations of the Algarve's mayors. The president of AMAL -Comunidade Intermunicipal do Algarve Jorge Botelho, moments before, had defended «the need to maintain community funds for material, equipment and improvements in the barracks».
The perspective was, moreover, that there would be much less money, coming from European funds, allocated to this area. “When we took office, there were 3 million planned for barracks and 4 million for equipment. In the previous Community Support Framework, the allocation was 200 million euros», illustrated Jorge Gomes.
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