“What I have felt, and what they tell me, is that there is a lack of resources and coordination, and I appeal to the Government and the Prime Minister to convene the Civil Protection, the top and intermediate heads of the structure, and assess what is failing on the ground, because these are very difficult moments,” said José Luís Carneiro speaking to journalists in Paredes de Coura, in the district of Viana do Castelo.
The PS Secretary-General believes the Government is “making a mistake by not declaring a state of contingency.”
Carneiro pointed out that one of the issues that will need to be evaluated “in due time” is the Government’s decision not to activate the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
“The morning and evening briefings are essential to provide peace of mind to people, and we have not seen this in the management of this crisis,” he lamented.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated today that the Government is acting discreetly in combating the fires, but “very closely” and trying to be “as effective as possible,” with an evaluation postponed for later.
In a speech at the Festa do Pontal in Calçadão da Quarteira, in the Algarve, Montenegro said he does not forget the compatriots who are “faced with a scourge,” referring to forest fires, which he attributed to “difficult and adverse” weather conditions, sometimes to “some lack of care and negligence,” and in other cases, to “criminal conduct.”
“We are making the maximum effort to leave no one alone, to mobilize all the means we have, to safeguard, first of all, the lives and health of all our compatriots, to safeguard their heritage and what belongs to all of us: our natural heritage,” he assured.
The alert situation due to the increased risk of fire was extended until Sunday, announced today by Minister of Internal Administration Maria Lúcia Amaral after visiting the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).
“Given the adversity of 22 consecutive days of intense heat showing no sign of abating, the Government will extend the alert situation once more, until Sunday,” announced the minister speaking to journalists.
Maria Lúcia Amaral emphasized that all restrictions and prohibitions imposed by the situation of increased fire risk alert remain in place.
Portugal has been in an alert situation due to the fire risk since August 2nd, and in recent weeks, several fires have broken out in the north and center of the country, which have already consumed more than half of the roughly 75,000 hectares of burned area this year.
