European Commission supports Portugal in the fight against forest fires on Madeira

EU mobilizes firefighting resources on Madeira

The European Commission announced on Thursday that it was ready to provide more resources to support firefighting in Madeira, Portugal, where a major forest fire has been raging for over a week.

The Commission says it is “closely monitoring” the situation and has already deployed two Canadair firefighting aircraft from Spain under the European Civil Protection Mechanism following a formal request from Portugal.

The forest fire broke out on August 14 in the mountainous region of Ribeira Brava on Madeira.

The epidemic has spread to several communities and forced the evacuation of nearly 200 people.

While some residents have now returned home, people in Fajã das Galinhas remain homeless.

So far, neither houses nor important infrastructure have been damaged.

Copernicus system activated for emergency mapping

The European Commission has also activated the Copernicus emergency satellite system to help local authorities map the affected areas.

The satellite images will provide important data to emergency teams on the ground, helping them coordinate efforts to fight the forest fire.

This additional layer of support is part of the EU's comprehensive approach to assist Portugal during this emergency.

In addition, under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which aims to facilitate mutual assistance between Member States, over 560 firefighters from 12 countries have been deployed to fight the forest fire season across Europe.

Portugal's government calls for European support

Portugal officially activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism on Wednesday.

This mechanism allows countries to request support from the EU's strategic reserve of emergency resources, which includes 28 aircraft and four helicopters.

The Commission's Emergency Coordination Centre responded immediately to Portugal's call for assistance and enabled two Canadair aircraft to be dispatched to the island.

These aircraft will provide crucial air support to local authorities working in difficult conditions due to high winds and temperatures.

Local investigations indicate arson as the cause

According to the European Forest Fire Information System, the fire has already destroyed more than 4,930 hectares of land.

While local authorities are investigating the origin of the fire, Miguel Albuquerque, President of the Government of Madeira, has publicly stated that the fire was probably caused by arson.

The ongoing criminal investigation will clarify the cause of the fire while fire-fighting operations continue.

European Commission supports Portugal in the fight against forest fires in Madeira: Summary

The European Commission has mobilised additional resources to help Portugal fight a major forest fire in Madeira that broke out in Ribeira Brava on 14 August.

At Portugal's request, two Canadair firefighting aircraft were dispatched from Spain under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

In addition, the Copernicus emergency satellite system has been activated to assist local authorities in mapping the affected areas.

Despite difficult conditions, including strong winds and high temperatures, no houses or critical infrastructure were destroyed.

The fire has devastated more than 4,930 hectares of land and is suspected to be caused by arson.