Manuel Tibo spoke to journalists in Campo do Gerês following a visit by the ministers of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, and Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes. They toured areas of the Peneda-Gerês National Park affected by the fire that started on July 26 in Ponte da Barca, Viana do Castelo district, and spread to the neighboring municipality of Terras de Bouro, being controlled by August 3.
“Next week, a working group, including the ICNF [Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests], will gather to establish the necessary technical evaluations. This will address water lines stabilization, land safety, as well as the security of populations and houses,” the mayor explained.
Manuel Tibo urged swift and effective solutions to this situation, expressing confidence that “the entities and central administration” will act in the region to resolve these issues.
“The mere presence of the ministers in the [PNPG] region already signifies closeness, allowing them to assist the populations and municipalities, and I trust the Government of Portugal,” stated the mayor.
During earlier remarks in Ponte da Barca, before heading to Terras de Bouro, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries noted that the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and ICNF will initiate “emergency stabilization” of the burned Peneda-Gerês area to prevent landslides and water contamination.
“It is urgent because, with the rains, landslides and water contamination are possible. Rain affects water lines, potentially hindering water capture,” warned José Manuel Fernandes.
In Terras de Bouro alone, “more than 1,800 hectares burned,” according to the local mayor, highlighting the “huge civil protection effort” that halted the fire and “protected the populations.”
“This was our main goal. Also, protecting the National Park [Peneda-Gerês] area. It burned, indeed, but not the heritage, the world reserve, the Mata da Albergaria, thanks to comprehensive civil protection efforts,” emphasized Manuel Tibo.
Despite these efforts, the Terras de Bouro mayor advocates for “mechanisms within the City Council and Civil Protection” to “streamline certain procedures” so that when such events recur, there will be “fewer restrictions and constraints.”
The ICNF reported on Monday that fires consumed 5,786 hectares of the PNPG, based on provisional data.
The PNPG, established in 1971, is managed by the ICNF and spans 69,596 hectares across the districts of Braga (Terras de Bouro municipality), Viana do Castelo (municipalities of Melgaço, Arcos de Valdevez, and Ponte da Barca), and Vila Real (Montalegre municipality).
