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The ANPC Press Release on the operational situation of this weekend (at this time), highlights the summary of the means involved in the rural fire of Monchique and a special appeal to the citizens to redouble the care to be taken in the use and enjoyment of forest areas.

In view of the adverse weather conditions, in hot and dry weather, which favour the outbreak and spread of rural fires, it was decided to maintain:

• The Special Alert Status (SEA), at RED level, until August 6 at 11:59 PM, for the Districts of Beja, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Santarém, Setúbal and Viseu;
• The Special Alert State (EAE), at the ORANGE level, until August 6 at 11:59 PM, for the Districts of Aveiro, Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo and Vila Real;

 

These measures imply:

• Increasing monitoring actions and strengthening the readiness of the various entities involved in civil protection operations;
• The organization of actions of patrolling, reconnaissance and surveillance in places historically more vulnerable to rural fires;
• The pre-positioning of combat means as a condition for a more efficient and effective reaction to rural fires;
• The maintenance of measures of active prevention and operational planning by the Civil Protection Agents and other Cooperating Entities and Municipal Civil Protection Services.

 

The operational situation of the last two days is as follows:

August 4, Saturday

• Number of occurrences of rural fires (between 00:00 and 24:00): 110
• Number of operatives: 3479
• Number of vehicles: 971
• Number of aircraft : 51

 

August 5, Sunday

• Number of occurrences of rural fires (between 00:00 and 24:00): 98
• Number of operations: 2230
• Number of vehicles: 556
• Number of aircraft: 49

 

We highlight the data referring to the rural fire of Monchique, Algarve, whose outbreak happened on August 3, Friday, and that, at this time, are the following:

• Number of operatiives: 810
• Number of vehicles: 226
• Number of track machines: 8
• Number of air tickets: 9
• Number of entities involved: 94

 

The ANPC renews the warning to the population to take care of their safety, remembering that the speed and violence of propagation of fires that occur with this type of meteorological conditions makes this type of occurrence a threat to the people and their assets, in the extreme way in which they can be developed.

For this reason, we call on citizens to keep themselves constantly informed about developments in the areas where they live or visit, to observe the advice and recommendations of the authorities in particular in the extreme situations of rural fires, to adapt the behaviour to the risk of fire rural areas, to comply with self-protection measures and only to evacuate the place where they are in conditions of absolute security.

The ANPC informs that by 21:30 on 5th August the CODIS of Faro, Vítor Vaz Pinto will make the operational situation on the fire of Monchique from the Basic School 2,3 of Monchique.

To your consideration.

Jorge Dias

Division boss

Communication and Awareness Division

Presidency

With a number of fires ongoing at present it is important you know what action to take if affected by a fire.

Government has produced information which can be downloaded here:

 

https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Safe-Village-Safe-People-Protecting-yourself-against-rural-fires-brochure-English.pdf

 

 

 

SITREP 5th August 1300 hrs

 

SITREP 5th August 0800 hrs

Overnight  there was a lot of fire fighting activity but the fire has now returned to active on two fronts.

This morning the air force has returned to the theatre of operations, while the command is undertaking a reconnaissance of the terrain, in the light of day, to see the area as a whole”.

Yesterday, shortly after 20.00 Víctor Vaz Pinto, the Algarve’s operational commander, had said that one of the fronts “is dominated”, and the “extinguishing and consolidating actions” are taking place. But the situation seems to have become worse at night, especially due to strong winds and high temperatures.

Rui André, the mayor of Monchique, who has been on the ground to monitor the situation, said that “the night, which usually brings windows of opportunity, with lower temperatures and more humidity, this time did not help us. We had 40 degree temperatures here and that was very difficult. ”

According to the mayor, the front that still inspires “greater concern” is the “southern front”.

The 266 national road, better known as the Estrada de Sabóia, remains closed in the fire zone, while the 501 municipal road was reopened by 16.30.

According to the website of the National Civil Protection Authority on the Internet, the Monchique fire currently mobilizes 787 aircraft, supported by 209 vehicles and six air assets, including four light and medium helicopters and two Fireboss aircraft.

It is also expected the arrival of two heavy Canadian aircraft.

The National Civil Protection Authority informs that, at 1830 hrs on 4^th August 2018, the District Command of Relief Operations of Évora received an alert of rural fire at the place called Monte da Chapada, parish of São Brás de Cortiço, municipality of Estremoz.

There are six civilian victims. Two injured were evacuated by helicopter from INEM to hospitals in the region of Lisbon and four victims were transported by ambulance to the Espírito Santo Hospital of Évora. There is also a wounded Firefighter, who was assisted at the Estremoz Health Center by fatigue.

The rural fire progressed with great velocity due to the very strong wind at the place, a zone of grass, bushes and olive groves, with some scattered dwellings. It was given as dominated at 2100 hrs, ending at 22.35 hrs. In the theater of operations there are 86 Operational, supported by 29 Vehicles and 4 TA of Firemen’s Corps, Forestal Sapradores, GNR PSP, INEM, SMPC, Juntas Parish.

The National Civil Protection Authority renews the warning to the population, remembering the speed and velocity of the propagation of fires that occur with this type of meteorological conditions. These fires constitute an extreme threat for the safety of people and property. For this reason, we appeal to the citizens to take the utmost care and at all times, in this type of extreme situations, to protect themselves and to evacuate the place where they are in to absolute safety as required.

At a press briefing at 20.00 hrs Commander Vaz Pinto said that one of the fronts “is dominated”, now leading to “extinction and consolidation actions”.

As for the second front, the “very strong atmospheric instability” that was felt in the middle of the afternoon presented difficulties at one place, which is almost inaccessible even for airplanes and helicopters.

As a precautionary measure, and in order to avoid ‘alarmist situations’, the operational command has decided to withdraw more small settlements that may be in the way of fire, but only’ to safeguard the populations’, ‘long before the fire there. ”

During the night there will be some “windows of opportunity”, which may help the firefighters, now that the day ends, air supplies are withdrawn.” We will re-evaluate the situation at every moment.

At present, the fire is being fought by 684 operational, supported by 176 vehicles, in particular track machines. The helicopters and airplanes that have helped all day have already retired.

Meanwhile the ANPC announced the use of an Air Force C-295 aircraft tonight to be used for reconnaissance. This is to meet the current operational situation, namely the rural fires that burn in the districts of Faro, Santarém, Portalegre and Nisa, and could extend to other risk areas of the continental territory.

The C-295 has imaging equipment that allows rapid detection of any new occurrences, as well as monitoring and the behaviour of rural fires, and is therefore an important means of supporting operational decision making. Aboard the C-295 will be two ANPC operatives

130 military personnel from the Armed Forces and the Navy have been mobilized to support the fight against the fire.

This comprises six platoons (five army platoons and one navy platoon), and two army engineering detachments with a platform and two caterpillar tractors, with a total of 130 military personnel committed.

Of these, 111 are from the Army and 19 from the Navy, with 10 light vehicles and 18 medium vehicles.

As at 16.30 hrs there were 724 firefighters, 193 support vehicles and 10 aircraft deployed.

 

Earlier SITREP 4th August 1300 hrs

At a briefing held at 1200 hrs Víctor Vaz Pinto, Commander of the Faro District Relief Operations Command, ANPC gave the following overview:

• The fire was in an area with difficult access ‘.
• The fire continues to have two active fronts with a worsening of weather conditions, from early afternoon; an increase in the intensity of the wind is expected, “sometimes with strong gusts”, and the temperature will reach 46 C with 10% humidity.
• We are implementing our plan” although there is still no forecast “when the fire will be dominated”.
• One of the two active fronts, which corresponds to 50% of the perimeter of the fire, is ‘controlled’ and ‘is in consolidation phase’.
• The other front, 20% of it “is in an inaccessible zone and is being fought by air means with the help of track machines” to open roads to the land.
• There are 710 operational personnel, supported by 180 vehicles and 11 air assets: two heavy bombers, three medium bombers, one heavy bomber helicopter, four light bombers and a reconnaissance plane deployed.
• As for the eight operatives who were injured yesterday, they are “recovered,”
• For now there is “no population in danger”. The commander confirmed that “some buildings were affected” by the flames but not a house, as it was reported. “Our great concern is the safety of the population and the combatants,” he said.
• The area affected by the fire is already 1000 hectares

Statement of the Alert Situation

Given the weather forecast for the next few days, which point to a significant worsening of the risk of forest fires, the Government, through the Minister of Internal Affairs signed Wednesday, the Order that determines the Statement of Alert Situation for the period from the 2nd to the 6th of August, for the whole continental territory.

Within the scope of the Declaration of the Alert Situation, provided for in the Law of Civil Protection, the following exceptional measures will be implemented:

• Increased operational readiness and responsiveness on the part of the GNR and the PSP, with enhanced resources for surveillance, behaviour-deterrent patrolling and general support for protection and rescue operations that may be needed, considering for the authorized effect the interruption of vacation leave and / or suspension of breaks and rest periods;
• Increased readiness and mobilization of teams of emergency medical, public health and psychosocial support, by the competent entities of the health and social security areas;
• Continuous mobilization of the Sapper Forest teams;
• Continuous mobilization of the National Corps of Forestry Agents and Nature Watchers that are part of the fire prevention and control system;
• Increase the level of readiness of response teams of entities with special duty of cooperation in the areas of communications (fixed and mobile network operators) and energy (transportation and distribution);
• Prohibition of access, movement and permanence within the forest areas, previously defined in the Municipal Fire Protection Plans (PMDFCI), as well as in the forest paths, rural roads and other routes that cross them;
• Total prohibition of the use of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices, regardless of their form of combustion, as well as the suspension of authorizations that may have been issued, as long as the Alert Status is in force;
• Exemption from the public service of Public Administration workers who cumulatively perform the functions of voluntary firefighter;
• Exemption of private sector workers who cumulatively perform the functions of voluntary firefighter in the districts for which the Red Level Special Alert State has been declared by the ANPC;
• Recourse to the resources available under the National Plan and the District Civil Emergency Emergency Plans.

The Government is constantly monitoring the evolution of the operational situation and appeals to the citizens to adapt their behaviour to the meteorological framework that has been widely disseminated.

The Judicial Police, through the Northern Board of Directors, identified and detained a man and a woman for the alleged falsification of documents and computer equipment, which occurred late yesterday afternoon at a hotel in the city of Porto.

The suspect couple attempted to make a payment for staying at the hotel using fraudulent credit card data in the name of a foreign citizen.

Following the steps taken by police, suspected false passports, as well as bank and tax documentation obtained with those documents, were seized from the suspects. Allegedly used for the commission of new offenses.

The true identity of the detainees is still to be established which will be fully clarified through international police cooperation.

The detainees, aged 20 and 47, will be present at the first judicial interrogation to decide appropriate pre-trial measures.

The Judicial Police, through the National Counterterrorism Unit (UNCT), detained a 42-year-old foreign man as part of an investigation for aggravated kidnapping and coercion, involving highly violent, organized and transnational criminality.

The arrest took place following a request for urgent cooperation from the French authorities stating that a citizen of that country was abducted and coerced by another individual inside a sailboat on the high seas.

In order to carry out the rescue operation of the victim, 28 years of age, the Judicial Police had the close collaboration of the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, as well as the Maritime Police in the location of the sailboat in question and with the first two in the respective approach.

The combined action of these entities, under the coordination of the National Unit Against Terrorism of the Judicial Police, was able to stop the kidnapping and ongoing coercion, rescuing the victim.

The UNCT also searched the vessel and seized a large amount of money and other relevant items.

The criminal investigation will continue in order to know the extent of the criminal actions in question.

The detainee was present at the first judicial interrogation at the criminal investigation court in Lisbon last Sunday, July 29, 2018, and in view of the seriousness of the crimes in question he was charged with, he was remanded in custody.

 

On 30th July 2018 the Judicial Police, and the National Republican Guard, mainly through the command of Castelo Branco, developed a joint operation called “Full Moon”, which resulted in the identification and arrest of 23 persons, most of them foreign nationals foreigners, for the alleged drug trafficking.

The arrests took place inside the grounds of the BOOM Festival in Idanha-a-Nova, in the context of combating trafficking, among others, the so-called synthetic drugs or design drugs, usually consumed at this type of event.

This operation, developed in close coordination with the services of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Castelo Branco and with the operational collaboration of several units, namely teams of Criminal Investigation and the Detachment of Intervention of the GNR and also with the presence in the field of a team of the Laboratory of Scientific Police of the Judiciary Police, was the culmination of an investigation begun three months ago, in order to signal and neutralize the action of individuals who travel to our country, with the sole purpose of marketing prohibited substances.

In addition to these arrests, 900 individual doses of liamba, 1800 hashish, 3650 MDMA, 75 cocaine, 1100 amphetamines have been seized in total, among other articles and drugs as yet unidentified.  Also seized were 1216 ecstasy tablets, 801 LSD microsamines, 26 liquid LSD bottles, 40 LSD-impregnated gums, 216 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, 492 grams of DMT-impregnated plant substances, 130 grams Ketamine, 77 grams of opium, 47 mescaline micropoints, 11 precision balances, various computer, sound and image equipment and about 91,000 Euros in cash.

Those detained, aged between 22 and 48 years, were present at the first judicial interrogation, 4 of which were subject to pre-trial detention and 1 forbidden to re-enter the premises of the BOOM Festival.

The remaining 18 are still awaiting the decision on pre-trial conditions.