Two Fireboss planes are already parked at the Portimão Municipal Airfield

The Fireboss have the capacity to carry 3000 liters of water

The two medium bomber planes (Fireboss), that reinforce this year the device for fighting fires in the Algarve, are already parked at Portimão Municipal Airfield. 

The two planes will remain in the Algarve until September 15th.

An Air Resources Center of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority was set up at the Portimão Municipal Airfield.

According to the Municipality of Portimão, «the availability and logistical support of the Municipality, which ensures all the conditions for these special aircraft to operate for the first time in the Algarve, contributed decisively to this measure, contributing to the increase in the response capacity of the Special Combat Device. Rural Fires (DECIR), particularly in fires that are not extinguished in the initial phase».

«At the moment, work is underway to improve and adapt safety conditions, which will allow, in the near future, to accommodate a greater number of emergency and civil protection aircraft, maintaining the capacity of the Municipal Airfield of Portimão for the dynamics of around 1.200 monthly movements. that have been registered», he adds.

The works will increase the parking space available at the aerodrome, complying with the rules of the National Civil Aviation Authority, which recently licensed this infrastructure, for the first time, for a period of five years, and currently, and except for airports, this it is the most relevant infrastructure in the south of Portugal, mainly due to its strategic location.

The Fireboss are amphibious single-engine turbine aircraft with two floats, capable of carrying 3000 liters of water and foam, and work in pairs, refueling in 731-meter water sheets (scooping).

In addition, they travel on tracks with a minimum of 300 meters unloaded and 810 meters loaded, being able to carry out partial discharges of water, foam or retardant in the line of fire of fires, and reach an operating speed of 270 km/h, with a take-off time of up to 10 minutes.

At the airfield, the ability to replenish fuel is also guaranteed, which in the case of the pair is 2.500 liters per mission of about three hours.

Likewise, the conditions have been created to accommodate the aircraft crews and all the essential spaces to support the operation, in addition to the operations and communication area that guarantees the control of each operation.

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