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Last edited by BoyTheKingCanDance (talk | contribs) 2 months ago. (Update) |
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| 2024 Madeira wildfires | |
|---|---|
| File:14 August 2024 Madeira fires.jpg NASA satellite image showing a cloud of smoke mount Madeira on August 12, 2024 | |
| Date(s) | 11–14 August 15:02 – |
| Location | Madeira, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 38°14′40″N 23°55′43″E / 38.244529°N 23.928745°E |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 8,594.2 hectares / 85.94km2 / 21,236.73 acres |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2[1] |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | heat wave, wind |
On In mid-August 2024, fires raged on Madeira, a Portuguese island 700 kilometers (430 miles) west of Morocco. As of August 20, the flames had burned more than 5,700 hectares of forest, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.
Background
editThe blaze, which started in the mountains of Serra de Água on August 14, quickly spread east toward Curral das Freiras and Câmara de Lobos. The event already burnt area of over 3000 ha. At least 160 people were evacuated from their homes due to the fire in both municipalities.
Portugal's national emergency and civil protection authority (ANEPC) is going to boost the fight against the wildfire that has been raging in the Autonomous Region of Madeira for a week with a further 60 personnel, the organisation's official source confirmed on Wednesday.
According to the same source, the reinforcement of resources to fight the flames in Madeira will leave the mainland today at 2.30pm in an Air Force KC-390 aircraft and will be led by the 2nd sub-regional commander for the West, Rodolfo Batista.
The contingent also includes 29 firefighters from the special civil protection force (FEPC), 15 volunteer firefighters from the Greater Lisbon region and 15 soldiers from the national guard (GNR) emergency protection and relief unit (UEPS).
The request for a new reinforcement of operational resources to fight the fire was announced this morning by the president of the regional civil protection service, António Nunes - initially with the indication of 45 personnel - and follows the despatch of a first ANEPC contingent with 76 personnel, which left for Madeira on Saturday.
In a statement released later, Madeira's Regional Secretariat for Health and Civil Protection revealed that the reinforcement was requested this morning, ‘after a briefing with the Special Civil Protection Force’ and ‘in view of the evolution of the fire’.
In the note, the Regional Government also states that the secretary for Health and Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, together with the president of the regional civil protection service, António Nunes, ‘is on the ground monitoring the firefighting operations’.
‘At the beginning of the morning he met with the teams at the Regional Civil Protection Service, and then went on to Achadas do Teixeira and Pico do Areeiro. The team remains actively on the ground to halt the fire's progress,’ reads the note.
The rural fire on the island of Madeira broke out a week ago, on 14 August, in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava, progressively spreading to the districts of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and, through Pico Ruivo, Santana.
In these eight days, the authorities have instructed nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and have made public reception facilities available, but many residents have already returned, with the exception of Fajã das Galinhas, in Câmara de Lobos.
The fight against the flames has been hampered by the wind, which has now died down, and high temperatures, but there have been no reports of homes or essential infrastructure being destroyed.
Some firefighters have received assistance for exhaustion and minor injuries, but there are no other casualties.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System, indicated by the president of the regional civil protection service, António Nunes, points to close to 4,393 hectares of burnt area by 12:00 on Tuesday.