The Algarve has been anticipating a fire as the countryside is tinder dry and winds continue to sweep across the region, ready to fan any blaze.
This afternoon the wait was over as a large area of farm and scrubland rather too close to Vilamoura for comfort, caught fire, triggering a huge and successful emergency action from firefighters and the civil protection agency.
The sugarcane field seemed to be at the centre of the action but after helicopter assistance and fire trucks arriving rapidly at the scene, the fire was said to be out, or at least ‘quelled’ by early evening.
The flames were tackled by no less than four sets of bombeiros from different stations and there was an added frisson or urgency as the farm is not far from the start of Vilamoura’s summertime tourist community.
The fire started just before 2pm in scrubland near the Falésia beach area. The wind ensured the fire spread with alarming speed towards the Lake Resort.
The dependable Abel Gomes, deputy commander of Civil Protection in the Algarve, said that the immediate area was cleared due to smoke inhalation concerns but that no masss evacuation was necessary.
A fire-fighting operation that swiftly got on top of the problem and correctly assessed the risks to tourists and property is a credit to the Algarve teams involved including today, 42 firemen backed up by 12 vehicles and the helicopter used to dump water.
