Congrats mayors Isilda, Rosa and Rui! In 2018 the fire in Monchique started on August 3rd, ended on August 10th. The action of firefighters was hampered by strong and changing winds, predicted by IPMA; also by difficult access by land. The fire resulted in 41 injuries, out of which 22 firefighters, and consumed 26,885 ha of forests in Silves, Odemira, Portimão and Monchique. It burned 62 homes of 1stdwelling, 49 of the 2nd, and killed 5,600 animals.
On the 6th day, 1550 men and 14 planes were fighting the flames. On Aug.6th the village of Monchique ran out of water, 230 people had to leave.
Causes: a lot of eucalyptus, few discontinuity bands, land use planning that allowed eucalyptus trees. In 2006, after the 2004 mega-fire, ICNF asked for 120km of bands. In 2017 there were 30km.
For HALF CENTURY, forest fires dominate Portugal. On Sept/1966 the fire in Sintra killed 25. In 1985 it killed 14 in Armamar; in 2017 it killed 90 in Pedrogão. Each year 180,000ha. of forests burn. In 2003, 426,000ha burned, in 2017, 563,000ha.
The President of the League of Firefighters says 75% of fires are set. Testimonials from people who saw strange movements before the ignitions are ignored, as they do not have material evidence to lead to the criminal. Most of the suspects are cleared by judges as there is only strong evidence, not material proof of a criminal act. Often, the rare arsonists found guilty, elderly, isolated, or strange, are released after a few months.
Soon after fires, middlemen for cork and paper-industries buy wood for nothing. Or real estate speculators change national agri-land into golf or resort-land. Opposed to other countries, they are not forced to tell who paid them to start the fire. If Portugal classes those actions as crime against national security most fires will stop.
In 2018 most people who lost all they worked for a whole life, left their loved countryland after waiting for all promised government support. Last week the mayors of Portimão and Monchique, mostly affected, supported their citizens, not waiting for national funds. Fortunately Silves was not affected, mainly because its mayor, Rosa, acted in prevention, cleaning rural areas close to homes.
As local elections come in September, mayors act! As in Olhão, where the traffic on the EN125 will soon go around the city. In Faro, bike-lines will be safer. In Silves, the mayor supports feeding poor families. Good!
What about having local elections every year?
