The Algarve’s almost miraculous escape from the worst of this summer’s fires has been confirmed, with only 290 hectares burned compared with 5,801 in 2016, between January and the end of October each year.
An average of only one fire a day, led the region’s relief operations chief to declare that these are excellent results with all but nine of the Algarve's 365 fires put out within the first 90 minutes.
One third of the fire damage in the Algarve was accounted for by the fire in Ludo, Loulé, where just over 100 hectares were destroyed.
The decrease in the area burned was not so much a miracle, rather it was a credit to fire fighting teams as the weather conditions were pretty much the same as in 2012 when 25,000 hectares went up in flames.
Minister, Eduardo Cabrita, said that the Algarve is an example of what’s needed in the rest of the country and outlined further help for the region as part of the national reorganisation of firefighting and prevention services, including €50 million set aside to pay for the clearance of private land if owners do not take legally enforceable clearance measures.
