“I haven’t yet, and I’m waiting because I want to resolve this matter, to immediately clarify all these questions that have been raised,” he stated.
Pedro Ramos was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the ceremony for the delivery of two vehicles to the Home Hospitalization Unit at Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital in Funchal.
“I’m already available. I’m just waiting for the request,” he said, and then reinforced: “I will go to the Assembly to definitively clarify what was correct, what was the well-planned strategy, especially since the results are much better than in other exceptional situations that have unfortunately plagued Madeira since 2010.”
The request for the hearing of Pedro Ramos and also the President of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque (PSD), authored by JPP, was approved on Monday in a parliamentary committee, with favorable votes from the proponent (two votes), the same number from PS, one from CDS-PP, and abstention from four PSD deputies.
JPP argues that “Miguel Albuquerque and Pedro Ramos must be held accountable” from a political point of view and also “for the high degree of negligence, the demonstrated disorientation, and the absence of timely decisions [in fighting the fire], which put the lives of populations and animals at serious risk.”
In addition to expressing his availability, the Regional Secretary for Health and Civil Protection reiterated today that the fight against the rural fire was conducted in the most correct manner.
“The means and resources used in the Autonomous Region of Madeira were always used according to the information that reached the coordination and command center. This is how exceptional situations should be managed,” he clarified.
Pedro Ramos emphasized that the fire that broke out on August 14 and was declared extinguished on Monday had “minor repercussions” compared to other events such as the floods in 2010 and the fires in 2012 and 2016. This year, he indicated, there are no records of casualties or damaged homes, nor of major impact on the Laurissilva forest.
Regarding the donation of 2.2 million euros in support to Madeira approved on Tuesday by the Government of Timor-Leste to help in the “recovery of damages caused by the fire,” Pedro Ramos said it was welcome.
“I think that in these situations, contrary to some speeches that are incendiary and have nothing to do with the exceptional situation we all went through […], naturally all solidarity from other regions is always welcome,” he declared, adding: “We never refuse help.”
The rural fire on Madeira Island broke out on August 14 in the mountains of Ribeira Brava municipality, progressively spreading to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol, and Santana. On Monday, after 13 days, the regional Civil Protection indicated that the fire was “totally extinguished.”
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System point to more than 5,104 hectares of burned area.
During the days when the fire raged, authorities instructed nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and made public shelter equipment available, but many residents were returning home.
Fighting the flames was made difficult by wind and high temperatures, but according to the Regional Government, there are no records of injuries or destruction of houses and essential public infrastructure, although some small agricultural productions were affected, in addition to forest areas.
The Judicial Police is investigating the causes of the fire, but Miguel Albuquerque said it was arson.
