The President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, addressed criticisms on Sunday regarding his initial reluctance to accept assistance from mainland Portugal in fighting wildfires. He characterized his critics as “political vultures” and “armchair coaches” who “don’t know how to fight” a fire.
Albuquerque also criticized the Portuguese State, accusing it of viewing the autonomous regions as “a good business.”
When confronted about the criticism he received from both the opposition and the public, Albuquerque stated, “I don’t believe there’s a group of political vultures who want to take advantage of these situations for political gain. Then there are also the so-called armchair coaches who have never been in a fire, don’t know how to fight a fire, and have no idea what strategy to use in practical terms to act. We act based on technical guidance; fires are not fought in an unregulated manner.”
Regarding suggestions that the region should have more than one aerial firefighting asset, Albuquerque reminded that the archipelago is currently spending “three million euros” on the one they have, which is “crucial” but hasn’t always been able to operate in this fire.
When asked about the possibility of requesting help from the State in this regard, Albuquerque responded critically: “As far as I’m concerned, we could have three or four, but we have to negotiate things. The State doesn’t assume responsibilities in its autonomous regions for the additional costs of Education, Health, and Civil Protection. All of this is paid for by Madeira’s taxpayers.”
He added, “Madeira and the Azores, at the moment, in the context of regional finances, are the State’s big business. The State says that Madeira and the Azores are an integral part of the nation and the Portuguese State, but it spends less and less money. So, it’s a good deal.”
Albuquerque confirmed that he had arranged with Minister Paulo Rangel for reinforcements to arrive, stating, “No one said [the reinforcements] shouldn’t come.”
He also provided an update on the fire situation, mentioning three active fronts evolving northward in uninhabited areas with difficult access. The strategy remains focused on containing the fire. In the Serra de Água area, where the situation is complicated due to the fire front’s dispersion, no homes were damaged, only some outbuildings.
The region is also preparing to receive help from the Azores, with logistical issues being addressed.
The fire started on Wednesday morning in Ribeira Brava municipality and spread to the neighboring municipality of Câmara de Lobos the following day. The three active fronts are in Serra de Água, Fajã das Galinhas, and Curral das Freiras.
On the ground, there are 120 operatives from all fire departments, supported by 43 vehicles and an aerial asset that has already begun operations, according to the Civil Protection’s latest update.