This morning, the Regional Civil Protection Service of Madeira reported that the rural fire remains active in the areas of Trompica and Lugar da Serra, in the municipality of Ribeira Brava. Six firefighting vehicles with 18 operatives from the Mixed Firefighters of Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol and the Madeiran Volunteer Firefighters are on site.
In the parish of Jardim da Serra, municipality of Câmara de Lobos, “there are two active fronts, one facing south towards a residential area, still presenting a great distance from residences, and another facing north, progressing towards Vereda da Encumeada,” according to the report. Ten operatives from the Câmara de Lobos Volunteer Firefighters, supported by three firefighting vehicles, have been mobilized to this area.
The rescue operations commander “requested the activation of aerial support for possible firefighting, prioritizing the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, as it may represent the greatest danger at the moment.” The helicopter-transported brigade was activated but “may be conditioned by adverse weather conditions in that location, namely the occurrence of strong winds,” adds Civil Protection.
Elements of the Madeira Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation and the PSP are also on the ground.
The fire broke out on Wednesday morning in Serra de Água, municipality of Ribeira Brava, in an area of difficult access. On Thursday night, the flames spread to the high areas of the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, reaching the mountains of Jardim da Serra.
According to the Regional Civil Protection Service of Madeira, firefighting efforts are being hampered as the fire is burning in areas difficult to access by ground operational resources.
Civil Protection asks the population to avoid traveling to the fire areas to facilitate the work of operatives on the ground and avoid “unnecessary risks.”
The north and south coasts of Madeira, as well as the mountainous regions, are under an orange warning today (the second most severe on a three-level scale) due to hot weather, according to the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Porto Santo Island is under a yellow warning, the least severe.
