In the Algarve, from 15th May until the end of June (and denominated Fase Bravo), there will be on the land 250 men and approx. 40 vehicles (plus one aerial back-up), these numbers to rise to more than 400 men and 77 vehicles (as well as three aerial back-ups) during the most worrying period, Fase Charlie, between 1st July and 30th September.

The recently created GIPS - Grupo de Intervenção de Protecção e Socorro (Group of Intervention of Protection and Rescue) of the GNR will make available in the region, during these months, 76 men, in heli-transported brigades, divided between

Cachopo, Loulé and Monchique. For 2006, the greatest bet will be on "detection and intervention, with greater rapidity".

In comparative terms with 2005, in Fase Charlie, that which comprises the period of greatest risk of fires, there is a reinforcement of 6,4% in terrestial means, although between May and June it will register a decrease of 7,5%.

These figures and objectives were announced during the presentation of the district brigade to combat fires, which took place in the Jardim Manuel Bivar, on Friday night, at which was present the Minister of State and of Internal Administration,

António Costa.

According to the Commandant of the Faro District of the SNBPC - Serviço Nacional de Bombeiros e Protecção Civil (National Service of Firefighters and Civil Protection), Norberto Vaz Pinto, the squad for the Algarvian region, this year, "is similar" to that of 2005. "It is what which we consider most adequate in the face of this danger", he added. It is recalled that the Algarve contains a forested area of more than 300 thousand hectares.

The district operational plan of combating forest fires implies an "important" novelty for this year, later affirmed António Costa, during his speech.

"It is a new concept of intervention which aims for the rapid detection of fire and speedy intervention thereof, with the objective of controlling it in its earliest stages", said the Minister.

The Commandant Vaz Pinto specified that the tactical objectives of the squad are "to opportunely detect forest fires, the immediate dispatch of means of initial attack, to dominate the fire in forested areas at the beginning, limiting its catastrophic development, and reducing the number of fires being re-kindled".

Announcing a major investment in training and in equipment (the capacity of transport and discharge of water by aerial means rose 43%), the Minister emphasised "the necessity of working as a team with the same objective - to face this terrible

threat - and to achieve the best results possible".

For António Costa, the Algarve is a strategic region for the country, "for the essential function from a national and international economic point of view, that it holds", for which special care is needed to assure its safety".

Appeal to eradicate risky behaviour

Whilst confident in the work of the teams spread on the ground, António Costa advised: "it is not enough to have confidence in these men to defend the forest. It is a job which depends on all of us..."

Thus, the Minister of Internal Administration appealed to the local authorities - "mobilise the social conscience and civic duty of the citizens" - and to the citizens: "avoid risky behaviour".

"A great help for those who form this fire-fighting squad", on the part of owners of forest land, those responsible for the maintenance of means of communication and for electric fences, added the Minister, will be to proceed with the construction of protective areas around habitations, localities, communications and electrical networks.

In the intervention, António Costa observed that the majority of the fires in recent years "are of human cause, resulting from negligence and carelessness of citizens", whom he asked to avoid "risky behaviour" such as bonfires, fireworks launched closed to forested areas, cigarettes not property extinguished, incidents with barbecues and use of agricultural machinery on high-risk days.

"Risky behaviour has to be eradicated from our daily lives so that we can have safer forests", stated the Minister of Internal Administration.


source: região sul