One of the two fronts of the fire that, since yesterday, has been burning eucalyptus trees and bushes in the Monchique mountains is "dominated", but the other front continues to burn with intensity, has just announced Vítor Vaz Pinto, Operational District Commander of the Algarve, in a briefing that is taking place in Monchique.
The regional head of firefighting added that one of the fronts "is dominated", and that "actions for extinction and consolidation" are now taking place.
As for the second front, the «very strong atmospheric instability» that was felt in the middle of the afternoon, with a lot of wind, «has given rise to several re-ignitions», «mostly quickly extinguished by the operators in the field».
But in one of the places, an "enclosed valley", almost inaccessible even for planes and helicopters that since sunrise have been collaborating in the fight against the flames, there were "long distance projections", with "eruptive behaviors" and " there was no combat capability», admitted Vaz Pinto.
As a precautionary measure, and to avoid "situations of alarmism", the operational command decided to withdraw smaller villages that may be in the path of fire, but only "to safeguard the populations" and in an action taken "long before the fire to arrive there».
The command post, which was set up on the road to Sabóia, was also moved, at around 17:30 pm, to the fire department in the village of Monchique.
José Gonçalo, president of the Monchique Parish Council, in statements to Antena1, said that the places of Perna da Negra, Cimalhas, Corchas and Benfica had been evacuated. CDOS source, in statements to Sul Informação, also spoke in Ladeira de Cima and Trucais.
Commander Vaz Pinto, at the briefing in Monchique, which took place shortly after 20:00, stressed that "the means are in place", but "the spirit of the combatants was affected" by the rekindling of this afternoon.
However, during the night there will be some "windows of opportunity", which could help the firefighters, now that, with the end of the day, the air resources are withdrawing.
"At every moment, we will reassess the situation," said Commander Vaz Pinto.
Since yesterday, when the fire broke out, at 13:30 pm at the Perna da Negra site, the fire has already destroyed more than 1000 hectares of forest and eucalyptus, as well as some agricultural shacks.
At the moment, the flames are being fought by 684 operatives, supported by 176 vehicles, namely crawler machines. The helicopters and planes that have helped throughout the day have already withdrawn.
This Saturday, throughout the day, there were three more fires of some relevance in the Algarve – the first was in Besteiros, in the parish of Ameixial (Loulé), the second in Cova da Muda, in São Brás de Alportel, and the last in Barranco de São Bom Homem, in Silves. All are already in the aftermath phase.
Comments