PS deputy André Rijo emphasized the suggestions made last week to the Government by José Luís Carneiro amidst the wildfires raging in the country. These suggestions included strengthening preventive monitoring measures with the aid of the Air Force, activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism to pre-position aerial resources, and mobilizing additional firefighting teams.
Rijo highlighted that the government “decided not to heed the suggestions” provided by the PS and chose to ignore them, a decision he warned could jeopardize ground resources.
The deputy stated, “Currently, it seems the Government is being very reactive rather than proactive, and it would be preferable that, in this stage of the fight, we could anticipate rather than react.”
He emphasized that the PS does not want to “provoke issues at this stage of the fight,” but reiterated the importance of the Government adopting a more proactive stance in scenario anticipation.
“This is unfortunately the unavoidable conclusion we are reaching,” Rijo remarked.
When asked if the PS maintains its three suggestions to the government from the previous week, Rijo affirmed, “Not only do we maintain them, but we also wish for the Government to act promptly.”
“A week has passed—a week that was lost but could have been gained if those suggestions had been implemented when the Secretary-General addressed the matter,” he added.
Similarly, Rijo reiterated the PS’s support for the affected communities, Civil Protection, firefighters, and all public service agents currently mobilized to combat the fires, while stressing the need for a proactive rather than reactive government posture.
“Furthermore, the present dependency is alarming… Currently, three ‘Canadair’ firefighting aircraft are inoperable, an avoidable situation had the Secretary-General’s suggestions been implemented in a timely manner,” he stressed.
The heavy firefighting aircraft ‘Canadair’ available in Portugal are out of service, as confirmed by a source from the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC).
The same source disclosed that the two ‘Canadair’ aircraft integrated into the Rural Firefighting Special Device (DECIR) are inoperable, with a third aircraft intended for substitution in case of malfunctions also out of service.
The spokesperson for the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), responsible for the contracting process of aerial firefighting resources, indicated that companies renting and operating these aircraft must replace the inoperable ‘Canadair’ planes and face penalties if contractual obligations are not met.
With Portugal on alert due to fire risk, several fires have erupted in the north and center of the country, consuming nearly 60,000 hectares this year.
