The Municipalities of Loulé, Tavira and São Brás de Alportel signed a collaboration protocol with the Portuguese Army's Infantry Regiment No.
The presence of the military on the ground will focus not only on the surveillance component, through the patrolling carried out by these men, but also on proximity and permanent contact with the inhabitants, especially in the most isolated villages, promoting a feeling of security among the population, in mostly elderly people, as it will have a deterrent effect on arsonists.
In Loulé, six routes were defined that will be carried out by these men, until the end of September, «this period of action may be extended if the risk conditions so justify», says the municipality.
As in previous years, the military's perimeter of action covers a large part of the interior of the mountains, as far as rural and agricultural areas in the Barrocal south of the EN 270, but beyond. Since in 2022 it was on the coast that the highest number of occurrences and burned areas were recorded, this time the military will also be patrolling the parishes of Almancil and Quarteira.
For Vítor Guerreiro, mayor of São Brás de Alportel, this partnership means «great importance for the surveillance of the most isolated areas and the increase of the security of the populations residing there», in addition «it reinforces the work carried out also in partnership with the São Brás de Alportel Volunteer Fire Brigade, which has three Permanent Intervention Teams, whose performance is reinforced during the period of DECIR-Special Device for Combating Rural Fires (from 15 May to 15 October) by two more Fire fighting".
No case of Tavira, the signing of this protocol means «another step towards the implementation of preventive measures against the occurrence of rural fires, based on the national strategy of policies and programs in the area of civil protection, the safety of the population and its assets, as well as the National Plan of Defense of the Forest against Fires».
Under this protocol, land patrolling may occasionally be replaced by air patrolling.
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