In a statement providing an update on the situation, the Regional Civil Protection Service (SRPC) reports that teams remain in Curral das Freiras to conduct active surveillance and prevent any reignition.
Curral das Freiras experienced some moments of great concern during this rural fire, which has been ongoing for a week, with flames approaching houses. On Tuesday night, according to the municipality, the fire was very active in the area, descending the slope towards a residential area, and it was necessary to evacuate a bedridden person.
“The most worrying focus is now in the central mountain range between the high areas of Curral das Freiras and Pico Ruivo, where the fire is consuming an increasingly larger area in difficult-to-access zones, which hinders firefighting efforts,” the SRPC note states.
The situation at Pico Ruivo had already been reported earlier this morning by SRPC president António Nunes, who said that “reinforcement personnel from the mainland had been requested from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.” Their arrival is expected today.
To combat the flames at Pico Ruivo, in the municipality of Santana – the fourth municipality affected by this fire – the region’s aerial resources were also activated.
In addition to firefighting forces, elements from the Regional Command of Rescue Operations, the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation, GNR, and PSP continue to provide ongoing support to the operations.
According to Civil Protection, the fire that started on August 14 has two focal points this morning – one in the high areas of Ponta do Sol (Lombada) and the other in the central mountain range (between the high areas of Curral das Freiras and Pico Ruivo).
On the ground at 9:00 AM were more than 30 vehicles and over 100 operatives, including members of the Special Civil Protection Force and firefighters from the Azores.
On Tuesday, three firefighters, two from the Azores and one from the mainland, required medical assistance due to exhaustion. One was treated on-site, and the other two were transported to Hospital Nélio Mendonça in Funchal, where they were treated and discharged a few hours later.
A female firefighter from the Azores had previously been taken to the hospital for exhaustion and was also discharged shortly after.
The rural fire in Madeira broke out a week ago, on August 14, in the mountains of Ribeira Brava, spreading to the municipality of Câmara de Lobos on Thursday, and to the municipality of Ponta do Sol over the weekend.
During these eight days, authorities instructed nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and provided public shelter facilities, but many residents have already returned, except for those from Fajã das Galinhas in Câmara de Lobos and Furna in Ribeira Brava.
Firefighting efforts have been hampered by wind, now reduced, and high temperatures, but there are no reports of destruction to houses or essential infrastructure.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System, as indicated by SRPC president António Nunes, shows 4,392 hectares of burned area as of 12:00 PM on Tuesday.
The Judicial Police are investigating the causes of the fire, but the president of the Madeiran executive, Miguel Albuquerque, says it is arson.
