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The carrying out of agricultural fires led to the arrest of two men, during the weekend, in the district of Bragança, for having generated forest fires.

One of the arrests occurred in the area of ​​São Julião de Palácios, in the county of Bragança, and the other in the municipality of Vila Flor, and in both cases the suspects in the forest fire crime were caught in the act.

According to information released by the GNR, the two detainees, a 67-year-old man in Bragança and a 58-year-old man in Vila Flor, were carrying out agricultural burning, and lost control, allowing the flames to spread.

The arrest in São Julião de Palácios occurred on 18^th November in the afternoon. A forest fire prevention patrol by the Environmental Protection Corps GNR detected a column of smoke. The suspect fled on foot, “the moment he spotted the GNR military,” but ended up being “intercepted and detained.”

The man alleged that “his intention was to burn for the purpose of renovating the pasture, but lost control, which led to the burning of about 30,000 square meters of weeds,” as indicated by the GNR.

The previous day, on Friday, soldiers from the Territorial Post of Vila Flor detained another man of 58 years for the same crime of forest fire and under the same circumstances.

The GNR reports that “the individual was burning a surplus when the flames spread, having burned six thousand meters of weeds.”

The On-Line Fraud Affecting the Global Tourism Industry Conference held in Faro on Thursday achieved its objective by bring together over 200 people to learn about the threats that this type of fraud poses to the industry and ways in which these threats can be reduced, thus protecting local businesses involved in tourism as well as holiday makers themselves.

A total of ten presentations were made by the National Cyber Security Centre; Judicial Police Cyber Security Unit; Consumidor.pt; the Association of Local Lodging in Portugal, SEF, GNR, ASAE, PSP, Safe Communities Portugal and PROFiT a travel fraud organization from the UK.

The event started by overviews from the Mayor of Faro, Dr. Rogério Bacalhau; President of Regional Tourism Algarve, Desidério Silva; President of the Association of Inspectors Judicial Police, Ricardo Valadas; Presidente of AHETA Elidérico Viegas and President of Safe Communities Portugal David Thomas, who had intiated the idea of the conference.

During the conference the Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho revealed that the tax revenue from local accommodation almost doubled in just over a year, from 69 million in 2015 to 123 million in 2017, which resulted from an entry into the formal economy of a group of units that were not registered and therefore out of the market”.

She added that the campaigns to integrate these accommodation in the formal economy “have had very positive results, namely” through a new rule that requires the registration of online booking platforms “.

“It is a rule that requires that the registration number be visible on the platforms, immediately leading to an entrance of housing units, has increased from 28 thousand registrations in 2015 to more than 50 thousand currently,” said the Secretary of State for Tourism.

According to Ana Mendes Godinho, the legalization of housing, “many of which had operated underground”, is also a way of promoting regular offers and combating fraud through advertising on the Internet.

“What Portugal is saying at the moment is that everything that is registered is reliable accommodation. It is an important step for security, because it gives a guarantee of the accommodation that exists and is a way of saying that, there, we are also a destination insurance, “concluded the official.

During the conference the President of AHETA Elidérico Viegas highlighted the threats posed to the tourism industry particularly those involved in local lodging through bookings made by the internet. He added that frauds affect consumers in particular, which is of concern to the EU but officials had been unable to deal with these problems so far.

David Thomas outlined the difficulties in dealing with such frauds which often involved fraudsters based overseas. He added that whereas it was clear that Portugal was doing its part, for example through the introduction of AL registration and the compulsory inclusion on AL numbers on adverts, greater collaboration between overseas law enforcement was needed so more effective measure could be introduced.

Those attending the conference learned about the different types of frauds that took place, in particular the rising number of fraud sickness claims being made by some tourists. Barry Gooch Founder of Prevention of Fraud in Travel, who had travelled from the UK for the conference, outlined the work of his association and how they collaborated with the police and industry in the UK in trying to tackle these types of fraud.

Various presenters explained enforcement issues, and ways in which such frauds could be reduced through checking websites closely before entering into agreements and transferring money. The conference also covered ways in which business could protect themselves through the better design of their websites and through improved internal security procedures.

There were two panel discussions and allowed those in the audience to ask questions of the presenters and share their own experience. Some of the presentations will be placed on the Safe Communities Portugal website www.safecommunitiesportugal.com

 

In front of an In front of an audience of around 200 people and government officials attending the On-line Fraud affecting the Global Tourism Industry, in Faro on 9th November, Safe Communities Portugal celebrated its 5th Anniversary since it’s forming (originally under the name Safe Communities Algarve) in November 2012.

To celebrate the occasion the Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho, accompanied by Désiderio Silva President of Regional Tourism Algarve and David Thomas President of Safe Communities Portugal (SCP) cut a cake that had been prepared by the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve – Faro.

On stage were Raoul Rui Martinez, President of the SCP General Assembly and board and fiscal members: Jim Litchko, Chris Stretton, Jane Thomas and Paula Santos, together with Coronel Joaquim Crasto Commander GNR Faro District (Algarve), Superintendent Viegas Martins PSP Faro District Commander and, Chief Inspector Elsa Trindade Head of the ASAE for the Algarve, to help celebrate the occasion.

The Secretary of State gave a speech which included the work of SCP and its value to the community and tourism. She highlighted the “importance of all the remarkable and extraordinary work developed by Safe Communities since their start 5 years ago, specifically with the foreigners living in this such beautiful country creating a better communication between the community with the national authorities and entities”.

Also, two years ago when she had the first meeting with the President of SCP, he reported the security concern within the foreign community living in the Algarve which had previously existed, which led to the forming of the Association – currently that problem does not exist thanks to the help of SCP.

She concluded “I wish that SCP continue with their excellent work for many years”.

David Thomas responded by thanking the Secretary of State and the President of Regional Tourism Algarve for the support that they had given and the close working relationship that exists. This enables Safe Communities to address various issues concerned and take measures to help the authorities maintaining the Algarve as a safe destination for tourists.

SCP has provided assistance to over 2000 people who have contacted us this year, and the demand on our services is increasing considerably. We have helped people in many different ways for instance in respect of missing relatives, reporting crime to police, various fraud cases and people who have been scammed, victims of crime, often involving close contact with the law enforcement agencies, civil protection authorities and embassies and consulates.

Increasingly much of our work also involves lobbying government on behalf of the community to improve services. Two examples in particular this year were our meeting with the ANPC two days after the Pedrógão Grande fire to find ways in which public communication could be improved, and with the GNR and Regional Tourism Algarve following the “Portugal Invasion” disturbances.

We are a small group pf volunteers proving a free and unique service to the community and visitors to Portugal. We are always looking for volunteers and if readers would like to help in some way Safe Communities are pleased to hear from you

MAI is defining set of requirements that can lead to the temporary closure of the activity without waiting for processes to be completed, leading to provisional injunction and discotheques closed

After the Urban Beach case nothing will stay the same in the area of ​​private security at night spaces. The Minister of Internal Affairs wants to bring changes to the Private Security Law to the Assembly of the Republic early next year, with proposals aimed at closer inspection of the sector and less cases of companies and security involved in serious acts, namely violent situations.

“It will defined a set of requirements that may, in serious circumstances, determine provisionally, either the suspension of business activity or the suspension of activity by the security professionals employed,” said Eduardo Cabrita yesterday, outside the meeting with the Security Council Private (CSP), a consultative body of the minister, which brings together all authorities, from the PSP, GNR, SEF, PJ, associations and unions in the private security sector.

This claim of Eduardo Cabrita is reflected on the same day that the Administrative Court rejected the injunction ordered by the owners of the discotheque of Lisbon to cancel the provisional closure of the operations decreed by the Ministry of Internal Administration, after the disclosure of the images that show the aggressions of three security guards to two individuals at Urban’s door in the early hours of Halloween, November 1.

The revision of the law should also focus on “a clear distinction between what is involved in the intervention of public security and the powers of private security”. It should be remembered that the security guards at that club were accused in following the assaults, which they themselves justified on the grounds that the two young men, one with a police record, would be there “to steal.”

Eduardo Cabrita also argued that it is necessary to “intensify the joint responsibility” of private security companies and those who hire these services. Once again, in the Urban case, security was guaranteed by PSG, but group K, owner of the security company, could not ignore that there were 38 complaints against the nightclub this year, almost all due to violence exercised by vigilantes, but also by acts discriminatory or racism at the door. Source Diarios de Noticais

1. SITUATION

Following the information provided by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), it expected, today, Friday, November 17, and during the next few days, it will be dry with an increase air in temperatures above the average for this time of year.

2. EXPECTABLE EFFECTS

This will give rise to favourable conditions for the spread of rural fires in the event of a fire starting, as the country is experiencing a long period of drought and, in addition, there is still a large amount of combustible material accumulated and susceptible to rapid burning in forest areas.

3. PREVENTIVE MEASURES

In view of the meteorological forecasts and expected effects, it is imperative to adapt and adjust the individual behaviour to the rural fire risk that will take place over the next few days, as well as to adopt the appropriate precautionary measures to avoid occurrences associated with fires in rural areas.

For this reason, the ANPC recalls that, according to the legal provisions in force, for places where the fire risk index is higher than the HIGH level, it is it is forbidden to use fire for pasture renewal and stubble elimination, i.e. burn land.

For those places where the fire risk index is, or above the VERY HIGH level, it is still not permitted:

• Make campfires for recreation, recreation or food confection;
• Use flaring and combustion equipment for lighting or food confection;
• Burning cut and mowed bushes or any type of leftovers;
• Launch balloons with lit wick or any other type of rocket;
• Smoking or fire of any kind in the forest spaces and crossing or surrounding pathways;
• Fumigate or disinfect apiaries (beehives) with fumigators that are not equipped with sparking devices.

The ANPC also reminds everyone the precautions to be observed when carrying out agricultural and forestry work:

• Keep machines and equipment clean of oils and dust;
• Supply the machines cold and in a place with little vegetation;
• Avoid sparks  when handling them, avoid using them during periods of high heat.

When the fire risk is Low or Moderate it is still necessary to obtain the authorisation of the municipal council before lighting a fire to burn debris on the land.

 

Starting 16^th November for the next few weeks, nine teams of Social Security technicians, the IRN, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Centre and the North (DRAP) and the Agency for Administrative Modernization (AMA), will visit 18 municipalities in the centre and north of the country, providing various services to those who were affected by the fires in October.

These mobile units will help the population and companies affected by the fires to know the various support available.

The deployment will be in the form of mobile units operating from vehicles with computers providing the following services:

• Information of social support provided to the populations affected by the fires;
• Information of social benefits granted by Social Security;
• Regerting those with social or medical monitoring needs;
• Information on support available to affected businesses and support for those unemployed;
• Information and issuing of certificates, requisition of the identification document or 2nd copy of the on-site registration certificate;
• Information on the situation of burned vehicles;
• Information to support farmers and replenish productive potential.

The teams of the mobile units are properly identified and none of the services provided will involve any type of payment.

This joint action by the Ministries of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Justice, Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, and the Presidency and Administrative Modernization aims to bring public services closer to the populations affected by the fires, making contact with the population in these areas.

“I give a very positive note to the effort that has been carried out by all the entities involved, demonstrating operational capacity and coordination capacity,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Eduardo Cabrita, stressing “the need to improve coordination mechanisms” considered as ‘a decisive element’.

These statements were made following a tactical police exercise carried out by the special operations groups of the GNR and PSP, which culminated in five arrests and the release of dozens of hostages at the Coina train station in Setúbal.

“It is vital that Portugal, which is considered one of the safest countries in the world, continues to be. And for that, we cannot fail to prepare for eventualities, benefiting from the experience of those who have already suffered them, but also sharing our experience, which is very valid and recognized in the international scene, “said the Minister.

Eduardo Cabrita also recalled that this safety exercise in the railway area, which is part of the Portuguese participation in the European Rail Safety Network (Railpol), involved the GNR under the coordination of the Secretary General of the Internal Security System, and involved “a wide cooperation of entities, security forces and services, armed forces, health facilities, the three hospitals in the Setúbal peninsula, the municipal civil protection units of Barreiro and Seixal, and firefighters.

“In all these types of operations, it is essential that Portugal is well prepared to learn from international experience, but also to share experiences and to prove that it is prepared, in the circumstances, as close to reality as possible, to train all agents security forces and civil protection so that if we are ever faced with a real situation, everyone knows what they have to do, “said the Minister.

Eduardo Cabrita emphasized the participation of the United States rail security services, who travelled to Portugal to follow this exercise.

It is called the National Federation of Portuguese Firemen and wants to bring together professional firefighters and volunteers. The new body was presented this Tuesday in Lisbon, and is based on the desire to represent all of the country’s firefighters.

The initiative is based on the National Association of Professional Firefighters (ANBP) and the Portuguese Association of Voluntary Firefighters (APBV), which aim to “clarify the representation of Portuguese firefighters”. The goal is that the new federation will “occupy the space that is legitimately of the firemen,” they defend.

Speaking to TSF, the president of APBV, Rui Moreira da Silva, believes that the representation of firefighters should not be in the hands of the Portuguese Firemen’s League.

“The sector needs, at this moment, to have a voice that represents them, that bears the state of soul that in recent times has settled in the firemen, be they professionals or volunteers,” said Rui Moreira da Silva.

The creators of this new federation consider that the Fire Brigade represents “the units holding the fire brigades and not the men and women who provide service 365 days a year.”

The Federation of Firefighters will address issues such as the careers and professionalization of firefighters or insurance, “which are a real national shame in the case of volunteer firefighters,” he added.

Hearing from TSF, the president of the Portuguese Fire Brigade League denies that the institution represents only the units holding the fire brigades, as those responsible for the newly created federation say.

“It’s a shameful lie,” said Jaime Marta Soares. “The Portuguese Firemen’s League represents associations and fire brigades. Well, the fire brigades are made up of all their elements of the active body, “said the president of the League.

Jaime Marta Soares accused the creators of the Portuguese National Firefighters Federation of wanting to “assault” the League, and “invade a space” that is already occupied.

The president of the Firemen’s League considers that the new federation is a “badly framed marriage” between the ANBP and the APBV and “that does not have representative” nor it demonstrates “any future”.

The Agriculture Minister Luís Capoulas Santos announced today Tuesday (14^th November) the creation of a public company for forest management, with funding in the State Budget for 2018 (OE2018).

In the discussion in the specialty of the OE2018 proposal, the minister recalled the recent approvals of the forest management entities and the incentives for forest management and announced that “it intends to go further”, reason why the Government “decided and will have expression in the Budget, a public company for the management of the forest “.

“We want the state to advance as an example and to have a more proactive attitude and that can demonstrate to civil society how it is possible to manage with the new instruments,” he said.

Capoulas Santos also mentioned the support for animal feed and added that on November 15 will begin the supply of 100 tons of sugar, through associations of beekeepers, to feed the bees during the winter.

The Minister also stated that EUR 5 million will be reserved for the restructuring of the vineyard for EUR 25 million for the restoration of the vineyards of the 41 municipalities affected by the fires.

Forest fires have consumed more than 442,000 hectares this year, the worst year ever in Portugal, according to the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF).

The last report of the ICNF, which analyses the data between January 1 and October 31, indicates that 442,418 hectares of forest land have burned in Portugal, half of which in October (223,901 hectares).

The ICNF figures, however, fall short of the 563,000 hectares indicated in the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) estimates.

As for large fires – when the total area affected is equal to or greater than 100 hectares – until October 31, 214 fires of this category were registered, which were responsible for 412,781 hectares of forest areas, about 93% of the total area burned out.

The ICNF report indicates a total of 16,981 occurrences (3,653 forest fires and 13,328 hot flushes), with 264,951 hectares of stands and 177,467 hectares of burning forest.

Up to October 31, 2017 there are 1,446 re-registrations, 8% less than the annual average of the last 10 years.

According to the ICNF, the district of Coimbra was the most affected, with a quarter (113,839 hectares) of the total area burned nationally.

After Coimbra, the district of Guarda appears, with 60,038 hectares of fire (14% of the total) and Castelo Branco, with 52,721 hectares (12% of the total).

As for the number of occurrences, and in descending order, the districts of Porto (4,336), Braga (1,743) and Viseu (1,698) were the ones that register the most.

“In any case, the occurrences are mostly hot flushes, that is, small occurrences that do not exceed 1 hectare of burned area. In the specific case of the Porto district, the percentage of hot flushes is 87%,” the report said.

As for the largest fires in terms of burned area, at the top of the list appears the one that originated on October 15 in Seia / Sandomil, in Guarda district, which destroyed 43,191 hectares, followed by the same day in Lousã / Vilarinho ( Coimbra), which burned 35,806 hectares.

With regard to the National Network of Protected Areas (RNAP), it is estimated that 39,388 hectares of forest areas have been burned (5.5%). It stands out the Natural Park of Serra da Estrela by the greater extent of area burned to date (19,337 hectares, about 21.7% of the total area of ​​the park).

The protected area most affected by its extension was the Natural Monument of Portas de Ródão, with almost 72% of the total area destroyed.

As for the land under the forest regime, an estimated 73,190 hectares (about 18.4%) have been burned. According to the report, the Cambarinho Botanic Reserve was totally consumed, in the northern slope of Serra do Caramulo.

The ICNF also highlights the National Forest of Leiria by the largest surface area, with almost 9,476 hectares destroyed (86% of the total).

From the analysis of the daily severity index (DSR) accumulated until October 31, 2017 is the most severe year of the last 15, with values ​​similar to 2005, which had hitherto been the most severe.

The firefighting operation was extended until November 15, following adverse weather forecasts and maintenance of the high risk of forest fires.

The operating period of the 72 GNR watch stations was also extended until November 15, with the maintenance force of the Forestry Information Maintenance and Exploitation Teams (EMEIF) maintained by each District Relief Operations Command.