EU Commission ready to send more resources to fight Madeira fires

The European Commission is ready to mobilise additional resources to help fight the fires on the island of Madeira, despite the difficult conditions, the European Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

"The European Commission is mobilising support for Portugal in the fight against a forest fire near Ribeira Brava in Madeira. [...] The Copernicus emergency satellite system has also been activated to provide maps to the local authorities," the EU executive said in the statement.

The Commission is "closely monitoring the situation" and is "prepared to send additional resources if necessary", it added in its statement.

The two Canadair fire-fighting planes Portugal requested from the EU as part of the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism arrived in Madeira on Thursday.

"Following Portugal's activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism yesterday [Wednesday] evening, the Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre immediately coordinated the dispatch of two Canadair firefighting aircraft from rescEU [the EU's strategic reserve] to Madeira from Spain today," the EU institution added.

"The aircraft will help local authorities fight the fires, providing essential air support in difficult conditions,” it also said.

The EU's strategic reserve for the fire season consists of 28 aircraft and four helicopters deployed in 10 member states, while more than 560 firefighters from 12 countries have been pre-positioned across Europe.

The information comes a day after the Portuguese government announced it was activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which has a strategic reserve of resources, to send two Canadair fire-fighting planes to help fight the fire that has been raging in Madeira for eight days.

The fire on the island of Madeira broke out on 14 August in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava and gradually spread to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and, via Pico Ruivo, Santana.

The authorities have ordered nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution and have provided public shelters. However, many residents have already returned, with the exception of those in Fajã das Galinhas, in Câmara de Lobos.

Winds and high temperatures have hampered the firefighting efforts, but there are no reports of homes or essential infrastructure being destroyed.

Some firefighters have received assistance due to exhaustion or minor injuries, but no other casualties have been reported.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than 4,930 hectares have been burnt.

Judicial police are investigating the cause of the fire, but Miguel Albuquerque, president of the Madeiran government, said it was arson.

(Ana Matos Neves, Lusa.pt)