SITUATION 12TH AUGUST 08.00 HRS

The fire has now been downgraded to “CONCLUSION” stage. This means that it “has been extinguished but there are still small pockets of combustion within the perimeter of what was the fire area”
Current strategy is pre-positioning of ground forces to tackle any re-ignitions quickly.
All main roads open but small undesignated roads may be closed due to fire damage
Number of personnel deployed is 1005 supported by 336 vehicles.

SAFETY ADVICE
• Visiting the towns – no problem, roads open. Towns are virtually business as usual. Including transportation services.
• Check your hotel booking in Monchique to see if hotel is open
• DO NOT enter burned areas, especially minor roads as these may not be safe.
• FIRE RISK EXTREME – Temperature is rising, humidity decreasing and moderate wind – NO lighting fires, smoking, or camp fires, or cooking on stoves in rural public areas. ZERO tolerance.
• Very safe to visit Algarve, but always wise to check fire risk and follow that.
The following contact numbers are available to help those in need.

FIRE RISK IN ENGLISH: http://www.ipma.pt/en/ambiente/risco.incendio/index.jsp
Road Traffic: call (+351) 808 201 855
Health issues: call (+351) 808 24 24 24
Social emergency: call (+351) 144
Animal safety and rescue – monchique@dgav.pt
Donation enquiries https://algarvefire.info/

UPDATE 20.00 hrs

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will visit this Saturday the areas affected by the Monchique fire.

UPDATE 17.00 hrs

The Fire at Monchique in currently in the resolution stage having been downgraded from active earlier this morning. Currently 1346 personnel, supported by 432 vehicles an7 aircraft/helicopters are deployed mainly to deal with re-ignitions.

A small fire has broken out at Barão de São Miguel at 16.55 hrs with 14 operatives and four support vehicles on site. concluded 20.00 hrs.

The prime minister arrived at Monchique to meet with the presidents of the Chambers of Monchique, Silves and Portimão. António Costa stated he will “take stock of the situation and see what response has to be given”, ensuring that “the priority now is to rebuild”.

Before joining the meeting, the prime minister spoke with the journalists and defended the work of Civil Protection and security forces, in particular as regards the evacuation of localities.

“The priority of priorities is the safeguarding of human life. There fact there was no loss of life is absolutely extraordinary, “he said.

As for what could have gone wrong, António Costa said that everything will be investigated and that it is “normal” to have inquiries and evaluations for “occurrences of this dimension”.

A working group coordinated by the mayor of Monchique will prepare a “program for the economic reorganization of the Sierra de Monchique”, announced the Prime Minister António Costa, at a press conference in Monchique.

The head of the Government announced that this working group, coordinated by the mayor Rui André, will involve the “neighbouring municipalities”, also affected by the fire, as well as public entities, namely the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and the ICNF.

UPDATE 10.00 hrs

The fire of Monchique was given as dominated moments ago. The last update of the Civil Protection website, made minutes ago, found that the fire is dominated and in resolution stage. This means that there is no danger of the fire spreading beyond the perimeter already reached.

On the ground, many 1371 operational media, supported by 442 vehicles, continue as well as track machines. Air resources are also already operating and should continue to provide assistance to the ground forces in the consolidation of this fire which, according to the latest data, has burned more than 27,000 hectares of mountains in the counties of Monchique, Silves, Portimão and Odemira.

This morning, in a new press conference, the Operational Commander responsible for fighting the fires in the Monchique stated there is “no significant risk of the fire leaving the area that has already affected”.

Still, there are still “a few hot spots” and there will be “relievements in the next few hours and even days” that the forces on the ground want to strike at once. At the same time, the day will be of consolidation of the work already done, of vigilance and aftermath.

“Although the fire is dominated, we will not cross our arms. We will keep all our energy and dedication, “assured Patrícia Gaspar.

Also, air assets will continue to assist in the operation, including a reconnaissance aircraft, which “identifies hot spots”, which gives valuable help to the Civil Protection command when it comes to positioning the media.

Meanwhile, while the whole area hit by the fire tries to return to normality possible, this morning only a section of EN266 between the Rasmalho and Monchique is closed. From the south, access to this village can be done by the road from Odelouca to the Alferce, by the road from Portimão to Casais and from there to Monchique, or even via Aljezur to Marmelete and Monchique.

PRESS RELEASE

The Faro District Civil Protection Commission (CDPC) met today for the third time since the Red Alert Special Status of the Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System (SIOPS) was declared for the Special program for Combating Rural Fire (DECIR), where the main objective was the monitoring of the situation, in this context, in the Algarve.

For this meeting, the Presidents of the Municipal Councils (CM), the municipalities affected by the fire that started in Monchique, namely Monchique, Portimão and Silves, as well as the President of CM de Loulé, whose municipality is in the area of interest of the theatre of operations.

The Regional Operational Commander (CODIS), a member of this Committee, gave an overview of the regional operational activity within DECIR, as well as the operational anticipation measures implemented in the Region, which are adjusted, at each moment, according to the forecasts.

In view of the high commitment of the Fire Brigade facilities in the Monchique fire, and as a measure of the replacement of the Initial Attack capacity (ITA), future ignitions were designed for the Algarve in addition to the following resources:

Three firefighting brigades (which are already pre-positioned);

• A medium bomber helicopter, for ATI, operating from the Air Media Center of Loulé.

After hearing CODIS, the District Civil Protection Commission decided:

• To reiterate solidarity to all those affected, in any way, by this fire;
• To reiterate the recognition of the work of all civil protection agents and cooperating entities involved in the fire in Monchique, Portimão and Silves, as well as their total availability;
• Reiterate full confidence in the field combat and civil protection device;
• To reaffirm confidence in the Regional Civil Protection System, in the involvement of Municipalities and other Civil Protection Agents, and to convey that the Algarve continues to be a safe region for residents and tourists.

The early evacuation in the current fires in Monchique have undoubtedly saved people’s lives

UPDATE – 10TH AUGUST 2018 – 0700 HRS

The seven-day fire in the Monchique mountain range has been “globally stabilized” and has no active fronts, said Patrícia Gaspar, second-in-command of the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC). It is still classified as active, however.

The official casualty rate has been updated to 39 the number of injured resulting from the fire of Monchique, in the Algarve, of which 21 are firemen, registering only a serious injury.

As at 0700 hrs on 10th August 1379 operational personnel were deployed supported by 445 vehicles and one aircraft.

A total of 299 people have been displaced from their homes in Monchique, Portimão and Silves, a joint operation with Social Security, the Red Cross, INEM and other autthorities..

Apart 50 homes destroyed in Monchique, there is no news on the total number of properties damaged.

As at last night the fire had consumed approximately 27,000 hectares of land

Despite the fact that there are no fronts, “the fire is still active,” the Deputy National Operational Commander Patricia Gasper stressed “We will keep all the resources on the ground, supported by track machines and all our attention, to consolidate the hard work carried out during the day.

UPDATE – 9TH AUGUST 2018 – 2200 HRS

At the end of the seventh day, the fire of Monchique still dominates, but “it has been giving way.” Throughout this Thursday, the resources on the ground had to attack several reactivations, including one with greater intensity in the Herdade da Parra, in Silves.

Despite the fact that there are no fronts, “the fire is still active,” the Deputy National Operational Commander Patricia Gasper stressed “We will keep all the resources on the ground, supported by track machines and all our attention, to consolidate the hard work carried out during the day.

Reactions are the big risk right now. We are at a stage where we cannot neglect anything.

Throughout this Thursday, the main work of the forces that fight the flames was, moreover, to attack fires that rekindled in different points of Monchique and Silves. “At this moment we can say that we have no active fronts. What we have are hot spots and reactivations, which we have been fighting throughout the day and that we have managed to overcome. “

On a day that has gone well, it will be a night with much better conditions than the one before it. In addition to the drop in temperature, it is expected that “a relative humidity level of up to 80% and, fortunately, a reduction in the intensity of the wind”.

Even so, ‘tomorrow the risk of fire will remain high in this region’, so that there is no alleviation of the means of land and of the attention that is being given to the fire.

However, some of the people who have been evacuated from their homes have already returned and the others are about to return to their homes.

“We have started preparing people to return home today. We want to ensure that this process takes place in an orderly and safe manner.

Speaking to Antena 1, Rui André stated around 50 houses were totally or partially destroyed and around 10 million euros of damage. This is the first estimate by the mayor of Monchique of the damage caused by the fire

Earlier Jorge Botelho was hopeful that the fire of Monchique is in the right way to be controlled, but does not risk a prognosis for its aim.

We are hopeful that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible. What came out of this morning’s operational briefing is that things are somehow moving in the right direction. But they are not resolved and we have to be careful, “he said.

Wind, which has had “some influence” in the spread of fire in the Algarve, will begin to fall from Saturday, haccording to meteorologist Joana Sanches, of the Sea Portuguese Institute and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
POST 10.00 HRS

More than 100 people, including residents and tourists, were evacuated from their homes at night and at dawn in dozens of towns along the EN124 road between Silves and Messines due to the Monchique fire.

After a “quiet night,” in which Monchique’s fire-fighting strategy resulted, the attention of Civil Protection will now be concentrated on consolidating the work that has already been done, “very much based on heavy machinery”, that is, track machines.

Patrícia Gaspar, 2nd national operational commander of Civil Protection, who is coordinating the firefighting in the Algarve, made this statement this morning.

“Last night everything went smoothly. The conditions on the ground and weather facilitated the implementation of the strategy we had outlined, especially with regard to the consolidation of work in the entire area between São Marcos da Serra, São Bartolomeu de Messines and Silves, the area that had been affected yesterday afternoon by a reaction, which resulted in a large focus in this area.

The night was “calm and allowed the consolidation of the strategy and the work that was defined”.

Today, the weather conditions have changed, mainly the level of the expected maximum temperatures, that will reach between the 24 and 26 degrees. There will be “a reduction in relative humidity and we our worst opponent, the wind, which will blow moderately from the North, with gusts that could reach 50 kilometers per hour.”

In other words, ‘maximum attention’ remains necessary in order to avoid as much as possible reactivations of the fire, which are ‘a possibility, especially during the afternoon’. “We have to ensure the permanent monitoring of the entire perimeter, which already has a significant extension. We are talking about a perimeter with more than 100 kms, “revealed the 2nd national operational commander of Civil Protection.

To try to avoid re-emergence, firefighters and aircraft will also be joined by heavy machinery. “Track machines have done absolutely fundamental work in this fire. It is based on this strategy that we continue to operate on the ground, obviously in conjunction with all the Civil Protection agents “said Patrícia Gaspar.

Also on the ground are the Armed Forces, which are focusing “on the surveillance and aftermath of the already burnt areas, to continue the work that has already been done”.

Patrícia Gaspar also updated the number of injured, which rose to 36, although the only one is serious. Of these injured, 19 are firefighters, all of them with slight injuries. We are talking about smoke inhalation, exhaustion and minor sprains.

There have already been 23,478 hectares burned in the Monchique fire. Updated data from the European Union’s emergency satellite navigation system Copernicus revealed. Since yesterday more than 2000 hectares have burned in the municiplality of Silves.

There have been some drizzles of rain in Monchique and throughout the Serra area, as far as Sao Bartholomeu de Messines

“Our great adversary is the wind,” the commander said, admitting the possibility of reactivation this afternoon.
As at 14.00 hrs 1472 personnel, 466 vehicles and 15 aircraft/helicopters are deployed.

LATEST UPDATE  9TH AUGUST 0700 hrs

More than 100 people were evacuated during the night of Wednesday from more than a dozen villages in Silves and are staying overnight in a pavilion of the Escola EB 2,3 João de Deus.
The fire in the municipality of Silves reignited this Wednesday in the early afternoon in some of the areas where it had already passed, due to the intensity of the wind. Several localities were evacuated, such as Enxerim, Pedreira and Cumeada.

At 2245 hrs traffic was cut off at Estrada Nacional (EN) 266 between Portimão and Monchique. Also the 267 roads between Nave and Marmelete and São Marcos and Monchique and in EN124 between Silves and S. Bartolomeu de Messines, according to the authorities.
UPDATE 8TH AUGUST – 22.00 hrs

Civil Protection has appealed to the population to stay in safe places, admitting that the situation on the ground “is very complex.  “We do not expect an easy period,” said the second commander, Patrícia Gaspar.

According to the briefing made around 8:00 pm by her, “it is practically impossible to anticipate the behaviour of the fire and the effects of weather in the theatre of operations.”

At times the fire reached a speed superior to 2 kms per hour. “The fire has taken on extreme behaviour.

GNR has been evacuating the village of Enxerim in Silves since 18h45. This village is about 700 meters from the main roundabout of Silves.
During the night heavy machinery will be used to open up containment zones, in order to facilitate fire control tomorrow.

The fire is once again affecting the hillside of Fóia and in Meia Viana, where many means of combat, both terrestrial and aerial, are already operating. The fire that has reignited in Fóia is heading south.

Pedreira was evacuated due to safety reasons, due to the advance of the fire.

The Directorate-General for Health (DGS) warned that inhalation of fumes or chemicals and heat can cause damage to the airways and issued recommendations on how to act in these situations. To avoid the harmful effects of smoking exposure, the DGS advises people to stay inside buildings, stating that “it is the most effective way to prevent damage.
The GNR also called on the population to comply with the directions and guidelines of the authorities in case of evacuation due to the fires. “In the event of a preventive evacuation, at the direction of the authorities, people must comply with the instructions given and should never go back to an already evacuated area.

People should remain calm, assist children, elderly people with limitations of mobility and carry their pets. They should not waste time collecting unnecessary objects and, if possible, leaving the exterior lights of the house on, “the statement said. In addition disconnect gas  pipes and try to make sure the bottles are away from a possible source of flame.

The 26 Iberian lynxes of the breeding centre of Herdade da Santinha, in Silves, were removed from the site by the ICNF, due to the fire that is in the vicinity.

Feeding of animals that have been removed from the areas affected by the Monchique fire is being guaranteed by the Council. The Monchique Vet has provided support to both livestock and companion animals, ensuring that they do not lack essential goods.

The fire is once again affecting the hillside of Fóia and in Meia Viana, where many means of combat, both terrestrial and aerial, are already operating. The fire that has reignited in Fóia is heading south.

Pedreira was evacuated due to safety reasons, due to the advance of the fire.

UPDATE 8TH AUGUST 2018 – 17.00 HRS

We have received complaints that members of the media and other individuals are venturing close to fires and obstructing their work.

Some people get gratification from this and others for monetary reasons. DO NOT DO this or encourage this activity.

We are not publishing pictures of the fires to avoid encouraging such activity.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER – António Costa

The prime minister was in the weekly briefing of the National Authority of Civil Protection and stressed that “it still takes many days of work so that the fire of Monchique is totally extinct”.

Combat against the Monchique fire with “good progress” but still with two active fronts

There has been “good progress” and Monchique’s firefighting situation is, on Wednesday, “more stable than yesterday afternoon,” said Patrícia Gaspar, 2nd national commander of the National Civil Protection Authority. The new operative responsible for combating this fire said, however, that “they are likely to be reactivations, especially during the afternoon”, which will be dealt be stronger resources on the ground.

The following points were made:

We are faced with an extremely complex operation, it is obvious that there may be times when things do not run 100% as we would wish

There are two fronts that inspire more care, “one more active in the area of ​​the Fóia” in Monchique, and another in Silves, next to Pinheiro and Garrado and ” It will be in these two places that the greatest effort will be concentrated, at the operational level, but without forgetting the consolidation actions of the areas where the fire has already been dominated.

This is one of the ‘great challenges’ for today: ‘to consolidate all the work done since the beginning of the fire, namely yesterday and today’.

Another priority is toto ensure that reactivations are attacked in a strong way.

The 2nd National Commander stated “We were able to make good progress and have a more stable situation today than we did yesterday afternoon”.

The number of injured has increased slightly” from 30 to 32, one of them in serious condition.

Of those who were evacuated ahead of the fires and sent to, Also the settlements were evacuated by ahead of the fire and temporarily accommodated at Portimão Arena,  50 were able to return to their homes or are staying with relatives.

There are 181 people displaced due to the fire, as of Wednesday morning.

Additional Information

The territorial mapping, done through the European Union’s satellite navigation system Copernicus, shows that the area burned by the Monchique fire is already 23,100 hectares,

Currently, more than 1,400 operatives are on the ground and reinforcement of urban vehicles of the district of Lisbon are expected. Twelve aircraft are supporting the firefighting that began on Friday, early in the afternoon.

Those that maybe affected by the fires in its two main fronts Fóia” and Silves SHOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE SITUATION AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE GNR AND OTHER AUTHORITIES IF DIRECTED TO EVACUATE. YOUR POSSESSIONS MAYBE REPLACEABLE, YOUR LIFE IS NOT. DO NOT RETURN TO YOUR HOME UNLESS IT IS DECLARED SAFE TO DO SO.

For those who maybe affected pay particular attention to prevention measures and self-protection. Fire service do their best but may not be able to arrive in time. Consider leaving if you feel your property maybe under threat.

Protection Advice: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/during-fires/

UPDATE 8^TH AUGUST 0800 hrs

The fire this morning affects the areas of Enxerim, Pinheiro and Garrado and Pedreira in Silves, after having consumed the slope and the top of the Fóia during the night, even threatening the antennas. There are also active hot spots in Caldas de Monchique and between Couples and Senhora do Verde (Monchique).

The strong wind that was felt all night did not let the firemen take advantage of the low temperature and some nocturnal humidity to put an end to the flames.

During the night, Rui André, the mayor of Monchique, said that a housing area on the hillside of Fóia had to be evacuated, while in Caldas, below, there are still “some hot spots”, where there have been re-settlements.

As for the situation in Silves, where there is a “very difficult front”, the fire evolved during the night in an area of ​​hills behind “a line of settlements”, “with a lot of population”, which, according to Rosa Palma,, reached the towns of Enxerim (which is less than two kms from the entrance of the city), Pedreira and Pinheiro e Garrado.

Meanwhile, a helicopter and two medium-sized Fireboss planes are in action this morning in the Silves area, while he expects the arrival of heavier aircraft, including the Spanish Canadair aircraft, which helped so much yesterday in Portimão, in the Rasmalho area.

Road cuts are N266, 267,124 and M502. Although Silves town itself is not affected there are road closed in the area with fires in the surrounding areas so it is advisable to avoid the Silves area.

0100 HRS

A joint effort of the firemen and the Special Firefighters, known as “canarinhos”, was instrumental in controlling the fire with the communication antennas installed in Fóia.

The flames, driven by the strong wind, “approached” the railings around the communications towers at the site. However, fire-fighting resources were positioned close by and acted quickly and in strength, preventing the flames from destroying the antennas.

Around one o’clock in the morning, the flames were controlled in that area, but they continued elsewhere in the Fóia mountain range,

UPDATE 21.30hrs

The Monchique fire still has two active fronts, one to the west, on the way to Casais, along the road to Marmelete, and another to the east, already in the municipality of Silves, Patrícia Gaspar, 2nd national commander of the National Protection Authority Civil and new operational commander for the fight against this fire said at 20.00 hrs..

According to the “strategy defined in operational terms”, the “great focus tonight” will be in the lines of the perimeter of the fire where we still have hot spots, we must consolidate. ”

The consolidation of the parts of that perimeter where work is already taking place more favourably, either with the use of the ground forces of the fire brigades or with the structured and organized reinforcement of the work of track machines.

She pointed out that this machinery does “very important work” in the “opening of containment bundles which reduce the spread of the fire, but also create conditions for the ground resources to enter”.

Despite the wind, we have some possibility of recovery here in suits of humidity, a factor that is favorable to us.” There is also a ‘drop in temperature’, which is already happening.

On the move from command of operations to a national level, Patrícia Gaspar assured that it was a “perfectly normal option” in operations with “some complexity”, which is “extending in time and space”, as is the case.

The importance of following instructions to ensure maximum protection. These are constantly being broadcast by the GNR, and they insist people do not return to their homes unless confirmed ok to do so by authorities.

The perimeter of the fire grew early this morning, with more fires activated by strong winds in unstable areas of high combustion and difficult access.

Electricity has been cut, 250 people have been evacuated from their homes as a precaution.  Civil Protection guarantees they have responded as best they can.

Weather conditions by Maria Joao Frada. IPMA – High risk due to strong winds.  South Districts in high alert.  Wind will continue until Thursday and by Friday slightly calmer. Temperatures will rise

PREVIOUS UPDATE 19.00 hrs

If you need any information concerning roads that maybe affected by the fires and road clsure please dial the GNR special number 808 201 855. At present the only roads closed are N266, N267 and M502.

The localities of Falacho and Falacho de Cima, a little more than two kms from the town of Silves, are being evacuated due to the proximity of the flames. There is no information of housing at risk, revealed the Mayor of Silves Rosa Palma.

According to the mayor the situation “was complicated on Monday night”, which led to the evacuation of isolated houses and population clusters. Since yesterday and throughout the night, the fire has been near Zebro de Cima

At around 1630 hrs on Tuesday, the fire burned in Marmelete area and is projected towards Portimão and Aljezur. The strong wind is hampering fire-fighting operations.

Communication cables have been burned or broken as a consequence of the fire in the zone surrounding to Fóia, where there are antennas of the various communication equipment.

The front of the fire of Monchique that entered the the municipality of Portimão at the end of the morning was contained in  Rasmalho.

The number of people requiring medical assistance resulting from the fires has risen to 95, of whom 66 are people who required on the spot assistance and 29 are injured, explained Faro’s Civil Protection commander, Abel Gomes.

Eduardo Cabrita Minister of Internal Administration took the opportunity to announce that the operations in the field has passed to the national command of the Civil Protection, due to the size of the fire and the resources involved. Patrícia Gaspar, Deputy National Operational commander will head this.

PROTECTION ADVICE FROM GNR

In a statement sent to newsrooms, the GNR therefore asks “please” the people to respect “the indications of the GNR military. They are there to help you. “In “case of preventive evacuation, people must comply with the instructions given and should not return until safe to do so. They should remain calm, assist children, elderly or family with mobility limitations and take their companion animals. ”

Also in relation to road traffic, it warns the authority to “never adopt risky actions, such as reversing the direction of travel on motorways, “which, it is recalled, happened recently in A2.

In emergency situations, “as the approach of the fire or the loss of visibility due to smoke”, drivers “must remain calm, turn on the hazard lights [the four blinkers] and immobilize the vehicles at a safe distance from the source of danger”. In addition, “they must immediately communicate with the authorities through 112 and leave the berm free for emergency vehicles to circulate.”

UPDATED 15.11 HRS

Patrícia Gaspar,  Deputy National Operational commander, is already on her way to Monchique to coordinate the operation on the ground, now that her administration has been nationwide.

Eduardo Cabrita Minister of Internal Administration took the opportunity to announce that the operations in the field pass to the national command of the Civil Protection,  due to the size of the fire and the resources involved.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) and the Judicial Police (PJ) are investigating the fire that broke out on Friday in the municipality of Monchique, Faro district, confirmed the two authorities.

“The Public Ministry of the DIAP [Department of Investigation and Criminal Action] of Faro will investigate the fires of Monchique, to determine its causes and its possible legal framework,” the Attorney General’s Office said in a written response to the questions placed by JN already yesterday.

GNR police have reinforced patrols along the Algarve’s A22 motorway as they are expecting smoke from the Monchique and Silves fires to greatly reduce visibility. The Minister of Internal Administration Eduardo Cabrita explained that the northerly wind would see coastal areas along the Algarve see increases in smoke and the A22 motorway may also be affected. Cabrita added that the current wind direction and speed is expected to last for the coming days.

Reports from residents of Monte Branco, on the edge of Silves town say that are fires in this area.

UPDATED 13:00 hrs

Several locations in the Sierra de Monchique are without mobile telecommunications, and operators are awaiting authorisation from Civil Protection to intervene on the ground and re-establish all communications, companies said today.

A total of 16 people were assisted, between 6:00 pm yesterday, 6 and 7:30 am today, at the Health Center of Monchique, said today the Regional Health Administration (ARS) Algarve.

In this Health Center, there is a team of nursing professionals from the Barlavento ACeS, which is supporting INEM in assisting the field operatives and the population. There was “no need to evacuate to another health facility so far,” says ARS.

A team of five nurses and a physician from the Windward ACeS were also moved to the Arena de Portimão to provide support to the 120 people who stayed there, keeping the team there.

In the Emergency Service of the Hospital University Center of Algarve (CHUA), between August 6 and 7, 15 people (fourteen in the Portimão unit and one in the Faro unit) were assisted, all with injuries light. All have already had high clinical.

ARS Algarve also provided a team of health professionals from the Monchique Health Center to assist, if necessary, the people who are in the EB 2,3 School in Monchique.

It also alerts the population to avoid inhalation of smoke as well as exposure to heat. For more information call SNS24: 808 24 24 24. In case of an emergency call 112,

SITREP  7TH AUGUST 2018 – 11.00 hrs

At a press conference this morning Vítor Vaz Pinto, operational commander of the Civil Protection gave the following information:

There are still six “hot spots” in the Monchique fire, but the areas of greatest concern today are south of Nave towards Casais and “the area of ​​the Odelouca dam

Air resources again have difficulty operating because of the great “turbulence.” There are ‘strong gusts, which cause operational constraints’. “We have difficulties in combat due to turbulence, which prevents the use of air in some circumstances.

However, he asserted, ‘it is not for lack of means that the extinction [of the fire] is not done sooner’.

That “the priority is to fight the fire, to safeguard the people”, urging everyone to “respect the guidelines of the authorities”, especially those who are involved in “withdrawing people” or “cutting roads to prevent people entering risk areas ‘.

There is a new fire front in the area between Casais and Monchique and it evolves along the Marmelete road, about one km from the Nave quarry. The residents of Lameiras are being withdrawn by the authorities as a precaution.

In Caldas de Monchique, there is fire with “great intensity,” which is 4 kms south of the town of Monchique.

This fire forced the closure of 266 National Road, GNR source told Lusa.

EDP ​​had to cut off electricity supplies in some areas of the Monchique fire for ‘safety issues’ and at the request of civil protection while putting generators in other locations.

There are also areas where there is no light because the poles have been destroyed by fire.

Over 20,000 hectares have been affected by the fires.

The fire has been hampered by the intensity and constant changes of direction of the wind and by the difficulty of access of the land to the land due to the dense vegetation.

The flames, which spread through several foci and fronts, with constant reactivations and projections, are being fought by almost 1237 operatives, supported by 389 vehicles and 17 aerial means, with difficulty in acting. These are six Fireboss aircraft, four Canadairs, four light / medium helicopters and one heavy helicopter. There is also a support plane. In Monchique there are already operatives from all over the country, from Viseu and Aveiro, as well as Spain

In view of the adverse weather conditions, the persistence of very hot and dry weather, favouring the outbreak and spread of rural fires, the following will apply:

• The Special Alert State (SEA) shall be extended to RED until August 7 at 23.59 hrs for the districts of Beja, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Portalegre;
• The Special Alert State (EAE), at the ORANGE level, until August 7 at 23.59 hrs, for the districts of Coimbra, Leiria, Lisbon, Santarém, Setúbal and Viseu;
• The Special Alert State (EAE), at YELLOW level, until August 7 at 23.59 pm, for the districts of Aveiro, Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo and Vila Real.

These measures imply:

• Increasing monitoring actions and strengthening the readiness of the various entities involved in civil protection operations;
• The organization of entities for patrols, reconnaissance and surveillance in places historically more vulnerable to rural fires;
• The pre-positioning of combat resources as a condition for a more efficient and effective reaction to rural fires;
• The maintenance of measures of active prevention and operational planning by the Civil Protection Agents and other Cooperating Entities and Municipal Civil Protection Services.

Today’s operating situation, August 6, is as follows:

• Number of occurrences of rural fires (between 00:00 and 19:00): 58
• Number of operatives: 1660
• Number of vehicles: 429
•  Number of aircraft: 12

We highlight the data on the rural fire that is being fired in Monchique, Algarve, which began on August 3, Friday, and which, at this time, are as follows:

• Number of operatives: 1108
• Number of vehicles: 341
• Number of Track Machines: 23
• Number of aircraft: 13
• Number of entities involved: 16

The ANPC renews the warning to the population to take care of their safety, noting that the speed and violence of propagation of fires that occur with this type of meteorological conditions make this a threat to people and their propertys, given the extreme way in which they can occur.

For this reason, we call on citizens to keep themselves constantly informed about developments in the areas where they live or visit, to observe the advice and recommendations of the authorities in particular in the extreme situations of rural fires, to adapt their activities to the risk of fire rural areas, to comply with self-protection measures and only to evacuate the place where they are in conditions of absolute security.

Communication and Awareness Division

Jorge Dias | 965 160 096

Alcina Coutinho | 919 201 307