Madeira will receive 80 special forces firefighters in the next few hours

“In light of the evolution of the situation and taking into account the weather conditions that make it difficult for the personnel on the ground to act, and following new contacts with the Secretary of State for Civil Protection and the Director of the National Civil Protection Agency, the Regional Government announces that all the necessary logistical operations are currently underway for the arrival in Madeira of 80 members of the Special Fire Brigade in the next hours”, reads a note sent to the newsroom.

“This force will complement all the work done locally by firefighters, forest police and other entities involved in fighting fires,” the regional health and civil protection secretariat said in a statement.

“We would like to inform you that at the last minute local resources were reinforced and the forestry intervention team assigned to the National Republican Guard was activated,” authorities said, without specifying the number of resources.

The Madeira Regional Health Service (Sesaram) provides two support hotlines for all users in the region, one provided by the Psychological Services Department, number 969320140, and the other is a 24-hour SRS support hotline provided by the Family Support Office, number 800242420.

Speaking to reporters at around 1:00 p.m. in Curral das Freiras, in the municipality of Camara de Lobos, the regional secretary of health and civil protection said about 50 families are receiving clinical, social and psychological support in Curral das Freiras, where Madeira was driven out of their homes tonight due to the fire that raged in the parish.

Health centres and local churches are open to welcome those in need.

Access to the parish, located within the municipality of Camara de Lobos, is restricted.

According to Pedro Ramos, the fire started on Wednesday morning in the Serra de Agua, in the Ribeira Brava municipality, and at 1 pm spread in the municipality’s Encumeda, as well as in the parishes of Curral das Freiras and Jardínda Serra, in the neighboring municipality of Câmara de Lobos.

When asked whether there was a need to reinforce the resources and help provided by the government of the Republic on Friday, the government official reiterated at the time that there was no need, attesting that the region’s resources had not yet been exhausted.

“We have a total of 750 firefighters, 54 of whom are on the scene. There are more than a hundred vehicles in total, and we have eighteen vehicles,” he went on to point out.

According to the balance at 13:00, in the battles on the various active fronts there are 54 operational personnel, supported by 18 vehicles and a helicopter from the Madeira Regional Civil Protection, as well as personnel from the PSP and the Institute of Forests and Protection of Nature.