“The European civil protection mechanism is activated as a last resort. Currently, in Vila Real, there are nine aerial resources combating the fire, and we have a total of 72 aerial resources at our disposal. Last week, during a critical period, we never had all aerial resources deployed,” stated Rui Rocha in an interview with SIC Notícias.
The Secretary of State also emphasized that aerial resources often cannot be deployed due to weather conditions and smoke, as seen in the fires of Ponte da Barca and Arouca.
“So far, it has not been necessary to activate the European mechanism. If it becomes necessary, we will certainly do so,” he said, highlighting that the situation is similar in Spain, France, Italy, and Greece.
Rui Rocha further pointed out that “the European mechanism is not a reserve of aerial resources that each country can utilize.”
On Sunday, the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party and former Minister of Interior Administration, José Luís Carneiro, stated that the government should have activated cooperation mechanisms with the European Union to pre-position aerial resources for firefighting.
The European Union Civil Protection Mechanism assists EU countries and third countries in responding to emergencies, such as natural disasters, health crises, or fires, and countries can request assistance from this mechanism whenever an emergency exceeds their response capabilities.
Addressing criticisms from some local officials about the lack of resources, Rui Rocha noted that he has also served as a mayor, reflecting that “for those on the ground in a situation of distress wanting to respond to a dramatic situation, all resources seem insufficient.”
The Secretary of State also mentioned that the deployed combat resources were deemed “adjusted and adequate” by the operational command.
Continental Portugal has been under alert from Sunday to Thursday due to the high fire risk.
