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In view of the weather forecast for the next few days, pointing to continued hot and dry weather, the National Republican Guard (GNR) will keep active its reinforcement of patrolling and surveillance in forest areas. These actions are designed to detect and deter practices that may contribute to the increased risk of forest fire, particularly in terms of burning and the use of machinery in agricultural / forestry areas.

The GNR is also contacting various organizers of festivals in order to ensure that they strictly comply with the ban on the use of rockets/fireworks and calling for containment of fire use in rural areas.

During 2016, the GNR identified 298 people and detained ten for arson. They also participated in court proceedings 3,008 news the same type of crime.

The GNR has activated Operation “Zero Ignition”, which aims to raise awareness and monitor the cleaning of land next to houses and roads, in compliance with the legislation governing this issue (Decree Law 124/2006 – National Defence System Forest Fire).

In 2015, GNR inspected 470,565 land, an amount that has increased significantly this year, having already been inspected 3,088,483 lands/properties Some 20,618 were identified with potential infringement situations. For these situations, it was possible to subsequently determine that most owners proceeded in time to the removal of materials that could constitute a risk, having been raised notices of administrative offense in other situations.

Since 2014 the GNR has raised over 6000 notices of administrative offense for failure to maintain the fuel management/land cleaning.

The Mayor of Funchal, Paulo Cafôfo, has stated on Thursday 11^th August that, in addition to the loss of human life, the material damage to private property and public in the county caused by the fires that broke out on Monday is estimated ar €55 million

The mayor spoke at the press conference regarding the fires in Funchal, which consumed n area greater than 500 hectares, mentioning that will present this first survey of damage in the meeting to be today with the Prime Minister, António Costa.

According to him, this first survey involving the parish councils there are 208 public and private buildings were affected by the fires in the county, with 105 totally destroyed and 103 with partial damage.

He added ” We estimate that EUR 32 million is needed for the rehabilitation of buildings [private] affected,” recorded damage to equipment and property of the municipality, such as water supply, roads, cliffs, Funchal Ecological Park and equipment of the fire, which is estimated at 23 million euros.

Paulo Cafôfo pointed out that extraordinary circumstances require “extraordinary solutions”, so will ask for help from Antonio Costa in relation to the total amount of damages.

“And we will certainly ask for help to the Government of the Republic but also the European Union. All sources of funding and money that can be channelled for recovery and normalization of people’s lives, we demand them and claim them” he said.

The mayor argued that this aid should be channelled “as soon as possible”, so it will require that “request does not get lost in the offices, in the bureaucracy, because life must go on.”

Paulo Cafôfo stressed that the financial situation of the city of Funchal “is difficult”, so it cannot respond to all the needs arising from this tragedy.

The GNR Coastal Control Detachment Lisbon seized on 4^th August in Lisbon and Samouco, 4.3 tons of bivalves in three catches, all with the estimated value of more than €30,000.

The surveillance operation was aimed at the detection of offenses related to professional fishing, catch of prohibited species and harvesting and illegal transportation of bivalves.

During the inspection at the estuary of the Tagus River, the GNR detected several offenses related to professional fishing, and seized 300 kilograms of clams, which is forbidden to catch in the river Tagus.

In the area of ​​Samouco, the GNR seized a shipment of 4 tons of bivalves from a man who was not licensed to practice harvesting of bivalve, nor had any documents attesting to its origin.

Bivalves because they are alive were returned to their natural habitat.

On 10^th August the PSP arrested four men, between 17 and 21 years in connection with 27 robberies.

The group always attacked together and chose young, fragile and isolated victims. They are believed to have carried out at least 27 robberies with threats of aggression, knives and even syringes. The crimes occurred in trains, stations on the Cascais line and near schools. The robbers threaten victims not to make complaints to police.

According to information provided the attacks started at the start of the year. The first complaints came to the PSP in February and following the viewing of video surveillance at train stations, and the accounts of victims and witnesses.

On 10^th August at 7:00 a.m., the PSP conducted five searches in Cascais neighbourhood and arrested four suspects. It is not ruled out that there is at least one other who has not been caught. Knives were seized, daggers, a saber and a bat and hashish. They still had a camera and a mobile phone that is suspected to have been stolen.

According to the PSP, the thefts occurred “mainly on trains and railway stations on the route to Cascais, as well as at schools in the vicinity.” The victims were chosen not to offer resistance. The thieves threatened the victims with bladed weapons, aggression and reached the point where syringes, which said that infected were involved. They stole money, mobile phones and goods they could sell quickly.

Feeling persecuted, the robbers later approached some of the victims, trying to force them to withdraw complaints in PSP.

Detainees are under detention and will appear in court in Cascais today.

The National Republican Guard (GNR) has engaged at this time 500 personnel of the Protection and Relief Intervention Group (GIPS) in actions to combat forest fires, divided into the following various areas.

So far in August some 462 GIPS personnel have been airlifted by helicopters to combat 195 fires. Since the beginning of the year there were 1716 helicopter missions to combat and extinguish the early stage of 894 fires.

It has been confirmed that three people have died in the Madeira fires.

At least 37 homes in the historic area have been burned.

According to the updated information and available by IPMA, it is noted for the next 48 hours the persistence of conditions associated with hot, dry weather, aggravated by the strengthening of wind. In particular:

On 3^rd August the PSP Lisbon Metropolitan Police Command arrested a 25 year woman suspected of drug trafficking in the area of São Domingos de Benfica, in Lisbon

The arrest was a result of an approach made to the woman, who was acting suspiciously and was about to leave for the Algarve, intending to distribute narcotics, taking advantage of the summer season.

The following items were seized from a bag she was carrying: 1830 single doses of suspected be cocaine; 1836 single doses of suspected heroin; 120 grams of an unidentified product; Euros 45 in cash and three bus tickets.

She has a criminal record and has appeared in court to be remanded in custody.

The GNR criminal investigation unit of Évora arrested, on 5 August, a person suspected of drug trafficking. This followed a search of the person’s home in which the following were seized

The action involved a search of the suspect’s house which allowed seize: 189 doses of cocaine; 41 doses of heroin, one vehicle; a mobile phone; a tablet; an alarm gun and 39 rounds of ammunition.

The individual appeared in court having been placed in preventive detention in Beja prison.