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Azores Situation Report Wednesday 13th December 2023

President of the Republic schedules regional elections for February 4th.

The President of the Republic announced the dissolution of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Azores and scheduled early regional elections for the 4th of February, a decision that received a favourable opinion from the Council of State.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made this announcement through a note on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet, which reads that the Council of State, heard today, “gave a favourable opinion, unanimously among voters” to the dissolution.

Previously, on the 30th of November, the President of the Republic heard the parties represented in the Azorean parliament, following the implementation of the regional budget for 2024.

Government of the Azores allocates 7.5 million euros to the Azores Tariff in 2024

The Regional Government of the Azores approved the allocation of a budget of 7.5 million euros for the Azores Tariff, in 2024, a higher amount than initially foreseen in previous years.

Created in June 2021, the Azores Tariff allows residents of the archipelago to travel by plane between islands for a maximum value of 60 euros, round trip.

In 2022, the Azorean executive budgeted a maximum amount of 6 million euros for this measure, but ended up increasing it, at the end of the year, to 7.1 million euros.

For this year, 6.5 million euros were initially budgeted, but the amount has already been increased to 8.5 million euros.

The renewal of the subsidy for inter-island transport of sick pets was also approved, which, in 2024, remains set at 50% of the final amount of the price charged by the concessionaire of the air transport service.

Many people still follow tradition in the Azores and buy natural Christmas trees.

Many people still go to Campo de São Francisco, in Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, to buy the traditional cryptomeria tree, which fuels Christmas with its aroma and rivals artificial trees.

Like a pine tree, cryptomeria is more expensive than an artificial tree, but many Azoreans prefer to maintain tradition and have a natural Christmas tree at home

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Thursday 7th December 2023

Good morning everyone. The 3rd December marked the International Day of persons with disabilities.  More than 1.3 billion people experience significant disability today, which represents 16% of the global population. Many persons with disabilities die earlier, are at increased risk of developing a range of health conditions, and experience more limitations in everyday functioning than the rest of the population. Persons with disabilities are often disproportionally affected by disasters and have different and uneven levels of resilience and capacity to recover.

Many are socially or logistically isolated and lack access to evacuation warnings and appropriate transportation for themselves, for those who care for them and any medical equipment necessary for their well-being. When we consider and take action concerning disaster preparedness, be it rural fires or flooding we can do our part by ensuring that family members those we know with disabilities are also prepared. We can do much to help them.

Turning to the subject of using phones whilst which despite being a dangerous practice is the cause of many serious and fatal road accidents. In Portugal, despite the results obtained in the last two decades, on average, 650 people lose their lives on the road each year. A number far from the only acceptable number: ZERO.

The temptation to respond to calls and notifications from your cell phone is the cause of many accidents, whilst driving. Texting whilst driving is the most dangerous distraction. Campaigns being conducted by the ANSR, GNR and PSP emphasise that: Using a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of having a car accident by four times; at 50 km/h, looking at your cell phone for 3 seconds is the same as driving a distance of 42 meters blindfolded, the equivalent of a line of 10 cars and, using a cell phone while driving increases reaction time to unforeseen situations greater than the effect of a blood alcohol level of 0.8 g/l. It begs the question therefore why would anyone use their phone whilst driving given these facts?

To reduce the risk while driving and avoid this dangerous distraction, opt for one of the following strategies: Turn off your cell phone, or activate silent mode; place the cell phone in the glove compartment or in a place that does not allow access; turn on voice messages so people can leave messages while you travel; stop at an authorized and safe location to check or return urgent calls; avoid, whenever possible, using hands-free mode and take the initiative to say that you will call back later, whenever you realize that the person you are calling is driving. Fines range from €250 to €1250, driving ban from 1 to 12 months and 3 points deduction on licence.

With the winter season upon us there is a bigger demand on heating appliances and other equipment used for keeping us warm at this time of year. It is also a time when there is an increase in household fires. Many electrical fires can be prevented by following some simple electricity safety tips. These include checking electrical wires for wear and tear – replace any that are damaged; avoid overloading plug/power sockets; checking that you’re using the correct wattage in all your fixtures and appliances and switching off and unplug Christmas them before you go to bed or going out.

Whether you own or rent your home, it’s important to know the signs of a potential electrical problem. Look out for scorch marks, flickering lights, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that blow or circuit-breakers that trip for no obvious reason. These could all be signs of loose or dangerous wiring. If in doubt get them checked by a qualified electrician; you are within your rights to ask this of your landlord if you are a tenant.

We congratulate the organisers and volunteers who support The Food Bank’s campaign against Hunger who collected almost 2,300 tonnes of food from last Friday to Sunday, 10% more than in the same period last year. The president of FPBACF Isabel Jonet, recalled that there are more and more people experiencing serious financial difficulties: “When people ask for help with eating, it is when all other requests for help have been exhausted. It’s not easy to ask for help with eating.” There are around two million people who live on less than 591 euros per month remembering that half of these people live on less than 224 euros. A most worthy cause.

Our team wishes you a safe week ahead

News

Lisbon – Earthquake Emergency Response Planning

Lisbon, 05 Dec 2023 (Lusa) – The organized response of emergency services to an earthquake can take up to around 72 hours, which is why the Municipal Civil Protection Service (SMPC) of Lisbon is working with parish councils to plan relief.

According to Margarida Castro Martins, director of the SMPC in Lisbon, the experience of other earthquakes suggests that it is estimated that the organized response of the emergency services “may take up to around 72 hours”, that is, three days, and that in this period 95 % of the help is provided by the population, family, neighbours and friends.

The person responsible, who was speaking at an initiative promoted by the association Lisboa E-Nova – Lisbon Energy-Environment Agency, on “Local Emergency Planning”, explained that the city council is thus preparing with the parish councils the prevention and response to the occurrence of an earthquake and ‘tsunami’.

This takes into account that no one knows the territory and the populations better than the parish councils, their workers and their residents.

The SMPC leader highlighted that the seismic risk in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) is considered “high to very high” and that the basis of the capital’s municipality’s response is the Civil Protection Special Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk in AML and neighbouring municipalities.

The Lisbon municipality, with 24 parishes and 545,796 inhabitants, has Lumiar as the most populous parish, with 46,334 residents, and Misericórdia as the least populous, with 9,658 residents, who naturally have “different realities”, and only Local Units of Civil Protection (ULPC) in the parishes of Alcântara (2016), Misericórdia (2020) and Penha de França (2021).

The municipality is preparing local emergency plans in the parishes of Avenidas Novas, Beato, Belém, Campo de Ourique, and updating those of Arroios and Olivais.

In addition to seismic risk plans, the municipality is also promoting an evacuation plan for the riverside area in the event of a ‘tsunami’, with a warning and alert system, following an earthquake.

The municipality already has two sirens installed, in Praça do Império, in the parish of Belém, and in Ribeira das Naus, in the parish of Santa Maria Maior, and has two more planned for 2024, in Doca de Santos, (Alcântara) and Estação de Santos (Estrela), foreseeing at least six more sirens in riverside parishes, by 2026.

The national director of risk prevention and management at the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), Carlos Mendes, presented the work carried out on the seismic risk assessment in AML, which is also used for the plan for the Algarve region.

The official also highlighted that in these types of events “the first response is mainly a proximity response”, which “often is not even carried out by organized relief structures” and that, in the first hours, “citizen mutual aid mechanisms” operate mainly. .

The emergency plan for AML and neighbouring municipalities involves more than a hundred entities “for a coordinated response” to an earthquake situation, and in the case of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale, means of support from districts of outside the area, and the definition of runways for international assistance, namely the air bases of Monte Real and Beja, or Sintra and Montijo.

International support mechanisms can come from France, Spain and Morocco, but Carlos Mendes noted that, in the case of an earthquake like the one in 1755, Spain and Morocco could also be affected, and therefore help will have to be provided within the framework of other European countries.

The Lisboa E-Nova session, according to Eduardo Silva, from the organization, despite some technical problems, aimed to raise awareness of the seismic risk in the city of Lisbon and in AML, with the aim of guaranteeing a culture of prevention, urgent to anticipate not only “the capacity to respond, but also the way in which the response is given”, in a situation of possible catastrophe.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 6th December 2023

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all. As we enter the last month of 2023 and the Christmas and New Year festivities it is an opportune time to remind everyone that celebrating the season comes with a lot of risks if you drink and drive. Safe Communities in association with the Friends of the Sao Bras de Alportel Museum held an event with the aim of the gathering was to learn more about the work of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) and the Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária (ANSR) (National Road Safety Authority) over the Christmas and New Year festive period. There is a nationwide campaign on safe driving about to start on Television and across the media with the message, “it is better to be late than not arrive”

The aim is to reduce the number of deaths on the roads across the holiday period and there will be a large presence of the police on our roads over the next few weeks.

Now a look at some of the stories that have happened in the Algarve in the past week.

PSP detains 14 people in the last week in the region

Last week, the PSP detained 14 people in operations carried out in the Faro District Command area , which encompasses the 16 municipalities of the Algarve, most of them for road crimes, the security force announced . In the period between November 24th and 30th, nine arrests were made for crimes linked to compliance with the highway code, including “four for driving under the influence of alcohol and five for lack of legal licence to drive”, stated the same source in a statement.

The PSP clarified that one arrest was also made for crimes against authority, another for crimes against property (theft and theft) and three judicial arrest warrants were served for drug trafficking, which resulted in the seizure of 220 doses, mostly cocaine and hashish, completed by the PSP.

The security force also noted that it carried out 17 road inspection operations in the main urban centres of the Algarve in the same period, with 1,205 vehicles being inspected”, and carried out radar speed checks on 1,164 vehicles, of which 12 were found to be speeding over the limit.

AFA and Food Bank renew partnership to help those most in need

The Algarve Football Association (AFA) renews, for the fourth consecutive year, its partnership with the Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome do Algarve and is promoting the collection of non-perishable food items to help those most in need, it was announced. Food can be delivered until December 18th at the AFA headquarters, at Complexo Desportivo da Penha, in Faro, from Monday to Friday, between 9:30 am and 6:00 pm.

In the last two campaigns, the AFA raised more than 570 kilos of food for needy families in the region, with the contribution of clubs and affiliated referee groups, sports agents, partners and other communities. All donations will later be delivered, as usual, to the Food Bank warehouses in Faro .

 

Drought Warning for The Algarve still Dire

The President of Águas do Algarve, António Eusébio, acknowledged that “there is a huge lack of water” in the region and expressed concern for the near future, since water scarcity is the most critical ever. António Eusébio, who participated in the National Meeting of Water Management Entities (ENEG), in Gondomar, described a critical scenario in the dams of the Algarve, which as a whole do not exceed around 56 cubic hectometres (hm3).

“The Algarve needs more than 115 hm3, not for human consumption, which uses 70 to 75 hm3, but for all other necessary purposes. Looking at this scenario, we are going to get less than 10 hm3 from groundwater, there is a lot of water left to go beyond the year 2024”, stated António Eusébio.

In accordance with the person responsible, the Odeleite dam currently has around 26 hm3, after the input of around 10.5 hm3 with the October rains, the Odelouca dam has 8.8 hm3, which added another 500 thousand cubic metres at the time.

In Bravura, the situation is more critical, with the dam close to the dead volume level, a situation that has already happened this year. In Funcho, the water level is around 11 million cubic metres.

Despite the country being at the beginning of the wet period, António Eusébio assumes that the Algarve is experiencing “one of the most critical situations ever in terms of water scarcity” and is concerned with “what might happen”.

For several years, an investment effort has been made to overcome these constraints, now reinforcing an allocation of €170 million from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). The joint plan to mitigate the effects of drought in the region estimates that it will be possible to achieve around five hm3 in agriculture and two in public supply by reusing this water resource.

On the other hand, the desalination plant will produce 16 million cubic metres of freshwater per year.

To these measures are added the capture of the dead volume of the Odeleite dam – fro m450 litres per second and the capture of the Guadiana River.

However, despite large investments, these measures represent around 62 million cubic metres and may not be sufficient if the course of climate change is not reversed.

The person in charge admits, despite every effort that’s being made to meet deadlines, it will be difficult to complete some of these investments by 2026 – such as the desalination plant in Guadiana.

Over a 10-year period, António Eusébio anticipates that other investments of the same order of magnitude will be necessary, including a new desalination plant.

The administrator who participated this afternoon in a round table, which discussed the circular economy combating the threat of climate change, admitted that “measures a little more aggressively in other sectors””, given the critical situation in which the region finds itself.

At the start of ENEG, the vice-president of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado admitted that the water shortage in the Algarve is the “worst ever” and if this scenario continues, in early 2024 it may be necessary to impose limits on consumption.

New water point in Loulé will support firefighting

The construction of the water point and its access path was made with local natural materials. Through the transfer of a plot of land by an owner, and in a joint work with the Association of Forest Producers of Serra do Caldeirão, the City Council of Loulé created a new water point next to the Miradouro do Caldeirão (Sítio do Feitoso), in the parish of Ameixial, informed the municipality.

This structure, located in a retention basin of 6 hectares, with a size of flooded area of 1750m2 and an average height of 5 metres, reinforces the support for air and land means, falling within the Integrated Rural Fire Management System.

The construction of this water point and its access path was made with local natural materials. The work contemplated the creation of crossing zones to safeguard the crossing of combat vehicles, reads the note. The Municipality of Loulé wants to pursue “a concerted strategy in favour of the defence of the forest and that also involves the creation of structures that allow to make the territory more resilient and prepared to respond to situations such as forest fires”.

Help the homeless in the Algarve

Algarvian days may be filled with sunshine, but the nights are now starting to draw in and overnight temperatures dropping, with much colder weather still to come.

Please spare a thought for the homeless men and women who have no option but to sleep on the streets, the numbers of which (according to the Red Cross Portugal) have increased due to unemployment, rising living costs and high rental rates.

In 2019 after a chance encounter with a homeless man at a local petrol station, Anita van Huson started a small campaign to help the homeless organising a Christmas gift of a new sleeping bag and welfare package. By 2021 the campaign had grown, reliant on the generosity of public donations and a few volunteers Anita was able to distribute 159 sleeping bags and welfare packages.

This year, wanting to replicate the 2021 campaign success, we have been in touch with active homeless associations (Red Cross, C.A.S.A, soup kitchens etc) across the Algarve (Lagos – Tavira) to determine how many homeless would benefit from this Christmas bag and package campaign. Times have most definitely got harder and we already have 200 sleeping bag requests with this anticipated now to rise to as many as 250 bags once we hear back from all associations involved. Our primary goal is to distribute a sleeping bag to everyone in need. If we have excess funds to enable everyone to also get a welfare package then that would be a bonus! If any of our readers would like to help, here is how you can do it.

Financial support – cash/paypal/bank transfer to enable us to purchase suitable sleeping bags – compact, >1 kg weight (to ensure warmth) – on average €25 per bag.

2) DONATE – buy suitable sleeping bag(s) or provide excellent quality 2nd hand ones and deliver them to us for distribution.

How companies can help –

3) As above or consider sponsoring the bulk purchase of other essential items for the welfare packages – e.g. 200-250 fleece-lined hats, gloves etc

This year’s campaign is being coordinated by Eve Clifton – please email eacalgarve@gmail.com or call (+351) 932 755 866 for more information and how to donate.

Thank you for reading this report and if you haven’t already done so make sure you subscribe to our regular newsletter by going to our website: www.safecommunitieportugal.com

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 6th December 2023

Azores are the best adventure destination in the world 

The Azores have gained yet another recognition on the world tourist scene. The 2023 World Travel Awards awarded the Azores the title of Best Adventure Destination in the World, solidifying the unique position of this archipelago as a true paradise for lovers of exciting and unforgettable experiences.

The awards gala, often dubbed the “Oscars of Tourism”, took place on December 1st at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel, in Dubai.

“This global recognition is the icing on the cake, after the Azores consecutively won, in the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, the title of Best Adventure Destination in Europe.” According to Luis Capdeville, Executive Director of Visit Azores, “The Azores, by receiving this global distinction, assert themselves as an international icon on the tourist scene, offering a unique combination of activities and the emotion provided by their stunning landscapes.”

Trails and hiking routes are now the epicentres of an adventure recognized around the world. The exploration of caves and dormant volcanoes, the observation of cetaceans, among other activities in an immersive contact with nature that the Azores offer its visitors, moments of pure adventure, consolidating itself as a destination that transcends expectations and captivates hearts on a global scale . This title reinforces the position of the Azorean islands not only as a place of exceptional natural beauty, but also as a destination of choice for those seeking truly extraordinary experiences in the vast world of adventure tourism.

Earthquake measuring 2.2 on the Richter scale felt on Terceira Island. 

An earthquake measuring 2.2 on the Richter scale was felt late Tuesday afternoon on the island of Terceira, in the Azores, reported the Azores Seismo-volcaeic Information and Surveillance Centre (CIVISA).

According to CIVISA, the event was felt at 6:33 pm, with the epicentre approximately four kilometres from São Mateus, on the island of Terceira.

The earthquake measuring 2.2 on the Richter scale “is part of the ongoing seismo-volcaeic crisis on the island of Terceira since June 2022”.

The earthquake was felt with maximum intensity IV on the Modified Mercalli Scale in the parishes of São Mateus and São Bartolomeu, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo.

According to the Richter scale, earthquakes are classified according to their magnitude as micro (less than 2.0), very small (2.0-2.9), small (3.0-3.9), slight (4 ,0-4.9), moderate (5.0-5.9), strong (6.0-6.9), large (7.0-7.9), important (8.0-8.9 ), exceptional (9.0-9.9) and extreme (when higher than 10).

The Mercalli scale has 12 levels, between imperceptible and almost total damage.

 

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 29th November 2023 

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all reading this from the Algarve and beyond. With the cold days becoming more regular we are all looking at ways to stay warm and for many the Wood Burner is a staple part of living here in Portugal. However, these don’t come without their safety issues and if you are using one for the first time, or you have had a new one installed since last winter you should check that it is working correctly.

Here are a few Do’s to consider- DO—make sure there is enough clearance between the stove and combustible materials, including floors, walls and ceilings. DO—place the stove on a noncombustible, fire resistant base. DO—have a mason or other competent person inspect the chimney. DO—burn only dry, well-seasoned wood. Not all wood is the same. Burn dry, seasoned wood to reduce particle pollution. Split wood dries much faster. Softwoods, such as Douglas fir, need six months to dry. Hardwoods like oak need at least 12 months. Never burn garbage, plastic, treated lumber, or driftwood– they emit toxic fumes and particles.

If it is an old burner, Use a wire brush to clean your stove pipe and chimney at least once a year. Also, occasionally use controlled, high-temperature fires in the stove or furnace. Don’t bother with the salt-based chemical cleaners. And never use heavy items such as chains, bricks or a brush on the end of a rope, because they could seriously damage the interior chimney lining.

Now a look at some of the stories from around the region in the past week.

Water scarcity in the Algarve is the “worst ever”, according to the APA

The water shortage in the Algarve is the “worst ever” and if this scenario continues, at the beginning of 2024 it may be necessary to impose limits on consumption, admitted on Monday the vice-president of the Portuguese Environment Agency ( APA ) .

“This year, the Algarve is worse than last year, it is in the worst situation ever. We’ve never been like this. It is a new path that we are taking”, stated José Pimenta Machado at the National Meeting of Water Management Entities (ENEG) which started until Thursday in Gondomar.

The situation is of “particular concern”, and could “eventually” lead the APA to “take difficult measures”, in January or February, he anticipated, revealing during his intervention that the group of reservoirs in the Algarve region currently accounts for 30 hectometers less cubic (hm3) than in 2022.

On the sidelines of the event, José Pimenta Machado clarified that APA monitors the water level in the reservoirs daily, and decisions are made based on this analysis.

“Everything has to be evaluated based on water reserves. We are in the middle of winter and it is in winter that the reservoirs recover water. We will have to carry out rigorous and continuous monitoring of the evolution of the level of the reservoirs and then, eventually, in January, February, we will have to take measures so that, above all, there is no shortage of water”, he stressed.

The vice-president of APA took the opportunity to point out the control of water consumption and the strengthening of groundwater inspection as possible measures to mitigate water scarcity. The official also said that the situation in the Mira River Basin, in Alentejo, is similar to the Algarve region, however, in that case, “human consumption is more than safeguarded”.

According to the weekly reservoir bulletin of November 20, the volume stored increased in three river basins in the country and decreased in 12 compared to the previous week.

According to the same document, there are five reservoirs with a storage percentage that does not exceed 20%: Campilhas (6%), Monte da Rocha (8%), Vigia (16%), Arade (15%) and Bravura (8%), the last two in the Algarve.

José Pimenta Machado – who participated in the afternoon in a round table on adapting to the new European directives on water – was, however, satisfied with the work carried out by the ‘task force’ created in June to mitigate the effects of drought in that region. At that time, the Government decreed a reduction in the quota of water for agricultural use and for golf courses by 20% in the Odeleite dam, in Castro Marim . If golf courses have the capacity to reuse wastewater, the limitation increases to 50%.

The measures came at a time when a third of the country was in severe and extreme drought, with the Algarve and Alentejo raising the greatest concerns.

This was confirmed by the vice-president of APA, who said that in some stations in the Cávado and Lima basins, precipitation values ​​in the order of 1,000 litres were recorded: “that is, it rained more in 15 days in that area than it rains in two years throughout the Algarve region”, he highlighted, adding that these phenomena bring added challenges.

The official also recalled that investments are being made in the Algarve region to find alternative sources, such as the project to build a desalination plant in the municipality of Albufeira, which is under public consultation until December 19th.

Public investments of around 342 million euros are also planned from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and European funds, to increase water resilience.

Three arrested for drug trafficking in Silves

Two men and a woman, aged between 25 and 56, were arrested on Thursday, the 23rd, for drug trafficking, in the municipality of Silves, GNR reported today. According to a statement, the military from that security force carried out two search warrants, one at home and the other in a vehicle, in the town of Tunes , as part of an investigation into drug trafficking, which had been going on for around two months.

The GNR also seized in the same operation, among others, 15 cannabis plants, 206 doses of marijuana, two doses of hashish and a pistol.

The detainees were made defendants and the facts were communicated to the Portimão Judicial Court.

2 Arrested suspected of attempted murder and robbery in Portimão

The Judiciary Police , through the DIC of Portimão, identified and detained two men, for the alleged responsibility for attempted murder and robbery crimes, committed last July, in Portimão, it was announced today. “During an attempted robbery with a sharp weapon, in a vacant place in the centre of Portimão, the suspects attacked the victim with several stab wounds to the torso and upper limbs, taking into account that he refused to reveal the location where the money was located, which they intended to steal”, details the PJ in a statement.

“After the robbery was foiled, they fled without assisting or providing assistance to the victim, who was left in a very serious condition, only not dying because she was assisted, intervened and hospitalised, a situation that still persists, with an organ having been removed that , due to the injuries, he was in an irreversible state”, the note continues.

The detainees, aged 22 and 25, with criminal records, were present for the first judicial interrogation, having been imposed the measure of coercion of periodic presentations and the prohibition of contact with the victim.

The investigation is held by the Public Ministry of Portimão.

Man arrested with more than 5,300 doses of heroin in the municipality

A 29-year-old man was arrested on Monday, November 20th, in the municipality of Loulé , for drug trafficking, announced the National Republican Guard. The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command , through the Loulé Criminal Investigation Unit, following a tip.

The military carried out police investigations and located the suspect’s vehicle, which hid 5,356 doses of heroin in the engine compartment.

During a search of the suspect’s residence, two cell phones, a laptop, a precision scale and several plastic bags for storing the drug were also seized.

The detainee was present at the Judicial Court of Faro, for the application of coercive measures.

Man Arrested in Tavira, author of threats to police who was wanted for murder

Police authorities arrested a man for threatening and insulting police officers, in Tavira, and who was wanted for other crimes, including murder, abroad, the PSP announced today .After appearing before the Court of Appeal of Évora, which has jurisdiction to decide on cases of extradition of foreign citizens subject to European arrest warrants, the 53-year-old detainee entered a prison, where he will wait until he is extradited, according to the PSP in a statement, without specifying the man’s nationality.

In the note, the PSP reveals that the police officers were carrying out civil service and, during a conversation with other people, “the detainee, without any reason to predict it, addressed them with threats and insults”.

The agents identified themselves as police officers, but the man “maintained his aggressive behaviour” and made “death threats”, ending up being “handcuffed and handcuffed, with the help of citizens, given the resistance and violence” he demonstrated, even according to PSP.

“As he is a foreign citizen, information was requested through international police cooperation channels, and it was found that the citizen had already been convicted of serious crimes, such as the crime of qualified homicide in 2005”, reads the note from the District Command of Faro from PSP.

According to the PSP, the detainee was also “indicted, after 2020, for other violent crimes such as robbery, sexual abuse and offenses against physical integrity”, in addition to being the target of complaints for other crimes, “such as damage, theft and rape of domicile”.

GNR chase Truck Driver from Tavira to Guadiana Bridge

The GNR chased a truck on the A22 on Friday night, all the way from the Tavira junction to the Guadiana bridge.

Several other drivers on the A22 had alerted emergency services to the irregular driving of a heavy vehicle weaving “between the left and right lanes” of the A22.

The GNR pursued the truck driver from the Tavira junction, all the way to the Guadiana bridge, alerting the Spanish Guardia Civil of the situation.

The Guardia Civil in Spain eventually managed to intercept the vehicle on the A-49, in the Huelva area, and the driver was detained.

Road inspections and infractions rise across the whole of the country

During the first seven months of the year, 81.5 million vehicles were inspected in person and through automatic means, 12.6% more compared to the same period in 2022, and 694,000 infractions were detected. According to the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), regarding infractions, there was a similar increase (12.2%), according to the road accident report across the whole of Portugal.

The vast majority (67%) were due to speeding (+21.6%): “There were increases in almost all types of infractions, highlighting, in addition to speeding, those relating to the system child restraint (+40.0%) and lack of insurance (+19.4%), among others”, reads the document

Regarding driving under the influence of alcohol, between January and July 2023, 1.12 million drivers were tested, which represents an increase of 29.3% compared to the same period in 2022. Road crime, measured in total number of arrests, increased by 12.2% compared to 2022, reaching 21.2 thousand drivers. Of the total, 55.4% was due to driving under the influence of alcohol (+12.9%), followed by 35.0% due to lack of a legal driving licence (+17.4%).

Since the points licence system came into force in June 2016, the number of drivers who lost points on their driving licence was 618,800 by the end of July 2023.

Since June 2016, 2,666 drivers have lost their licence (due to revocation), according to the same source.

Finally as we get closer to the Christmas period we all need to be mindful of safety and security issues both when we are out on the roads as well as when we are in our homes. Here are a few hints to be mindful of at this time of the year.

When it comes to Christmas decorations in the home, never leave candles unattended and make sure you put them out before going to bed. Never put candles on the Christmas trees. Beware of trailing cables and wires. Tripping on lights cables may result in trees falling over or worse accidents.

If you are spending Christmas away from home, It’s always exciting to share holiday memories, but avoid posting too much information about your travel plans on social media. The wrong people may find out you are away from home and take advantage of your absence.

Glimpsing a twinkling Christmas tree through a neighbourhood window makes most of us warm and fuzzy inside. Unfortunately, not every passer-by has good intentions, so make sure to obscure outsiders’ views into your living space.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 29th November 2023

São Miguel and Santa Maria Islands with yellow warning due to rain and thunderstorms. 

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) placed the islands in the Eastern group of the Azores under yellow warning this Tuesday due to forecasts of rain and thunderstorms.

The yellow warning for the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria, due to the possibility of “sometimes heavy precipitation, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms”, will be in effect between 11pm today and 11am on Wednesday.

The yellow warning, the least serious on a scale of three, is issued by IPMA whenever there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the meteorological situation.

Man suspected of killing two friends and burning bodies began to be tried in the Azores. 

The Court of São Roque do Pico, in the Azores, began, on Monday, to judge a man who is suspected of having killed two friends and burned their bodies in September last year.

The trial starts this Tuesday at 9:30 am.

The defendant is in preventive detention at the Horta Prison, on the island of Faial.

António Carvalho, the defendant’s lawyer, told journalists, before the start of the session, that the defence will present evidence that the prosecution “has no legs to walk”.

According to the lawyer, the suspect will give statements during the trial and will “declare, initially, innocent”.

According to the prosecution, the man’s two German friends, disappeared after visiting some land around the suspect’s house in which they were interested.

The detainee is accused of allegedly committing five crimes, two of qualified homicide, two of desecration of a corpse and one of possession of a prohibited weapon.

The suspect’s wife, who was subject to an identity and residence permit, is also a defendant and will be charged with two alleged crimes of desecration of a corpse and one of possession of a prohibited weapon.

In a statement, the PJ said that the investigation began on September 11th, 2022, “after reporting the disappearance of two men, aged 74 and 65, both residing on the island of Pico”.

“Evidence was gathered that the two missing men were victims of homicide crimes, with subsequent concealment of the bodies.

According to the police, during the house searches of the suspect’s residence, “two legal firearms were seized, in addition to several illegal weapons, namely a box cutter with an attached blade, several daggers and a silencer, compatible with a firearm.

Azores Airlines and Sata Air Açores with more passengers transported compared to 2019. 

Azores Airlines, the airline that provides connections between the Azores and abroad, recorded an increase in passengers transported of around 62% in the third quarter of this year, compared to 2019.

According to a press release from Grupo SATA, which cites data from the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), SATA Air Açores, which provides connections between the nine islands of the Azores, showed an increase of around 37% in the number of passengers transported during the third quarter, compared to 2019, pre-covid-19 pandemic.

“The SATA Group airlines once again surpassed themselves by reaching the symbolic mark of one million passengers transported in 2023, around two months earlier than recorded in the previous year. The evolution represented a 34% growth in the number of passengers transported, compared to the same period last year”, said the airline

 

Portugal Situation and Security Report Wednesday 29th November 2023

Good morning – Firstly I would like to cover the 17th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.

Europe remains the most peaceful region in the world and is home to seven of the ten most peaceful countries. Portugal was in 7th place globally, (5th in Europe) up one place since last year, compared to neighbours Spain in 32nd place and France 67th place. The UK was in 37th place.

Portugal was 16th place in the Safety and Security domain, up one place from last year, but 7 places lower than 2020. Globally this domain has deteriorated 5.4 per cent between 2008 and 2023. Of the 11 indicators in this domain, nine deteriorated and two improved. The largest deterioration occurred in the violent demonstrations indicator, with 120 countries seeing the impact. This domain evaluates the level of harmony or discord within a nation; eleven indicators broadly assess what might be described as Societal Safety and Security. The assertion is that low crime rates, minimal terrorist activity and violent demonstrations, harmonious relations with neighbouring countries, a stable political scene and a small proportion of the population being internally displaced or made refugees can be equated with peacefulness.

What caught my eye, however, in studying this report was that 2022 was the deadliest year for armed conflict since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the deadliest year in the history of the GPI. This was driven by more than 100,000 deaths in the war in Tigray in northern Ethiopia. The battles between the Ethiopian Defence Force, ally Eritrea and rebel group TPLF is the single deadliest event since 1994. Ukraine also saw at least 82,000 conflict deaths in 2022. Conflict-related deaths in Mali increased 154 per cent in 2022, with violence against civilians rising by 570 per cent, while in Myanmar, conflict-related deaths increased by 87 per cent. In contrast, the level of violence in other conflict affected areas fell sharply over the past year. Conflict-related deaths fell by 91 per cent in Afghanistan, and by 63 per cent in Yemen.

Unfortunately both violence and peacefulness can be contagious. Actions in one region or country can spill over into bordering regions and countries, leading to virtuous or vicious cycles where peace and conflict move in tandem. We await the GPI report for 2024 to see how far current major conflicts currently ongoing have impacted on neighbouring countries, especially the war between Hamas and Israel.

As most people are aware there are many fraudulent schemes and scams that operate through social media. Most are there to get you to part with your money, usually through offering items at unbelievably low prices or through illegitimate or illegal means.   An example of the latter was surfaced yesterday by the Institute of Mobility and Transport (IMT) who gave a public alert related to a fraud scheme in obtaining a driving license.

According to the organization, there is a scheme being shared on social media and via SMS that promises to obtain a legal license to drive in exchange for a sum of money. IMT stated on its official website: “The IMT does not communicate payment for any of its services through these means, and therefore should not proceed, at any time, with the requested payment”. If you receive one of these SMS, and do not drive, DO NOT be tempted to try and obtain a licence through illegal means. There is no short cut to obtaining a driving licence which requires the passing of a test and obtaining a licence through the IMT

We remind people that accidents resulting from the use of a mobile phone whilst driving are one of the largest causes of road deaths. Between November 28 and December 4, ANSR, PSP and GNR are launching the campaign: “At the wheel, the mobile phone can wait”. The campaign integrates moments of monitoring and awareness among drivers and passengers. Unfortunately it would appear from the fact that many drivers ignore this, they do not understand the consequences of their actions, and the impact this may have on other road users who do follow the law.

Lastly we thank all of you who visited our stand at the Christmas Fair organised by Amigos de Museu do Traje in São Brás de Alportel, held on Sunday 26th November. By far the largest number of enquiries concerned the Emergency ID Card which was initiated by Safe Communities Portugal and developed by us in conjunction with the INEM, PSP and GNR. This can be completed and downloaded from our website, and carrying this with you means that if you have an accident, the emergency services have vital information that facilitates life support at the scene. More details and download here;

With this message our newsletter team, Susan, Mike, Chris and I wish you a safe week ahead.

News

Judicial Police seize more than 4 Tonnes of Cocaine from a warehouse in Lisbon

Lisbon, 28 Nov 2023 (Lusa)- The Judiciary Police (PJ) announced today the seizure of more than four tons of cocaine hidden in boxes of bananas in a warehouse in Lisbon, as part of an operation to combat international drug trafficking.

In a statement, the PJ said the process of detecting and removing the 4.4 tons of drugs was difficult, as they were disguised in several boxes of bananas, which in turn were housed on pallets inside maritime containers.

The cocaine came from Ecuador, reached national territory by sea, and had its final destination in other European countries, which are not specified.

During this operation, no arrests were made in Portugal, however the PJ considers that relevant evidence was collected, and the information was shared with authorities in other countries.

“Operation Anchor”, launched in recent months, had the support of the Tax and Customs Authority and is part of the effort to combat illicit cocaine trafficking, developed by the Judiciary Police in conjunction with foreign authorities.

Montalegre Municipality captured 14,654 Asia Hornets in the 2023 Campaign.

Montalegre, Vila Real, 28 Nov 2023 (Lusa) – The municipality of Montalegre captured 14,654 Asian wasps in the trap network and eliminated 56 nests in the 2023 campaign, which took place within the scope of the municipal plan to combat this invasive species, it was announced today.

The municipality in the North of the Vila Real district took stock of the 2023 campaign to combat the velutina wasp, also known as the Asian wasp, and reported that, this year, 14,654 wasps were captured, dispersed throughout the municipality’s territory.

The Asian wasp is a predator of bees and other native pollinating insects, and is a threat that has expanded in the country.

According to the Montalegre council, the vast majority of captures made in the municipality were foundress wasps, that is, wasps capable of creating their own nest (future queens).

The plan is being implemented by the Forestry Technical Office and is led by technician José Luís Tavares.

“The trap network presents excellent results, capturing a significant number of velutina wasps, however, it is important to bear in mind that these wasps are never all captured and that the participation of all citizens in identifying and signalling nests is increasingly necessary, . (Primary and secondary)”, said the person in charge, quoted in a statement.

As he explained, this year began with “a mild winter, in which the less extreme cold was favourable to the survival of many hibernating wasps, which in more adverse circumstances could perish”.

“In addition, the high temperatures in spring and summer were favourable for the wasps to disperse,” he added.

In 2023, the network of traps to combat the velutina wasp 2023 included 250 units spread across the municipality. The campaign took place between May and August, that is, it lasted four months, with eight fortnightly monitoring sessions.

According to the municipality, the parishes of Cabril, Salto and Ferral account for around half of all catches made, which “evidences that the lowest and bordering areas of the municipalities of Vieira do Minho, Terras de Bouro and Cabeceiras de Basto are the most affected by this plague.”

So far, he said, five primary nests (diameters between five cms and 10 cms) and 51 secondary nests (diameters between 30 cms and 80 cms) have been identified and duly eliminated.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Good morning everyone, Safe Communities has had a very busy week attending the A Terra Treme national Earthquake Awareness Exercise in Olhão; the presentation of the results of Algarve Operation Rural Fire Plan 2023 in Faro, and as well as holding the Safe Christmas and New Year’s Festive Period Seminar, together with Amigos do Museu do Traje São Brás de Alportel

We were very pleased with the outcome of the seminar at São Brás de Alportel, which was timely with the focus on crime prevention and road safety. This coincided with the “World Day in Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims”, being marked on 19th November, in which the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa strongly appealed for operational and awareness work to be reinforced against a problem that caused 238 deaths in the first half of this year.

Marking “World Day in Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims”, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, recognized “the relevant role of awareness-raising and inspection campaigns planned within the scope of the National Inspection Plan”, but called “strongly for operational work and collective awareness to be reinforced, because all lives count”, according to a note published on the presidency’s website.

These remarks by the President of the Republic clearly illustrate the importance of road safety and that everyone, both pedestrians and road users, have a role to play, in reducing the number of deaths and injuries each year”. “Remember this festive period the Best Gift is Being Present. And that depends on the commitment of all of us”.

Safe Communities Portugal was honoured to participate as a guest at the national Earthquake Awareness Exercise “A Terra Treme”, which took place during the morning of 14th November, at the Dr. Francisco Fernandes Lopes Secondary School – Olhão. We have been promoting this initiative for over 10 years. The exercise involves the execution of the 3 self-protection measures, carried out in various safe contexts, which can save lives, in order to alert and raise awareness of the population on how to act before, during and after the occurrence of an earthquake.

Those attending included the Minister of Internal Administration José Luís Carneiro, Secretary of State for Civil Protection Patricia Gaspar and Entities from the Ministry of Education, the President of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, General Duarte da Costa, and senior dignitaries from the most diverse entities that make up the national civil protection system. This includes Safe Communities Portugal which is an official Civil Protection Volunteer Organisation.  Apart from the exercise itself which included an “evacuation” of several hundred students there were various displays by the civil protection agents including the GNR, Bombeiros etc.

The third event was the presentation of the results of Algarve Operation Rural Fire Plan 2023 (DECIR Algarve23) held on 15th November in Faro. Rather than repeat all the details of the information presented, I would ask you to read Mike Evans report included in this week’s Algarve Report. Despite being a year with extreme weather conditions in terms of high temperatures, when comparing the rural fires for the year 2023 with the history of the previous 10 years, there were 16% fewer rural fires and 44% less burned area compared to the annual average for the period under analysis – So better news.

With the arrival of the Polar air mass yesterday we are already experiencing some cooler weather and we can expect overnight air temperatures down to close to 0C to 2C particular in valleys in the centre and north of the mainland again tonight. During the cold weather there are certain precautions to take when it comes to protecting from low temperatures. Many domestic accidents are due to the effect of carbon monoxide, toxic gas, odourless and colourless. Most fatal domestic fires are at night time. We repeat the safety messages regularly so would ask everyone to follow these.

Lastly we will have a stand at the Museu do Traje São Brás de Alportel, Christmas Fair on Sunday 26th November from 10.00 to 15.00 hrs, in which you can obtain information on our work. We are pleased to answer questions on crime prevention, civil protection and road safety issues. We look forward to seeing you. A great fair, with home grown produce, bread, cakes, books, craft, spices, music and street food etc.

Our team wishes you a good week ahead.

News

Kamov helicopters offered to Ukraine more than a year ago remain “on national soil”

Lisbon, 21 Nov 2023 (Lusa) – The six Kamov firefighting helicopters offered by Portugal to Ukraine more than a year ago still remain in the country, awaiting Portuguese authorities for instructions from Kiev, the Ministry of Defence told Lusa today.

“The Kamov helicopters transferred to Ukraine at the request of the Kiev authorities are on national soil, awaiting indications from the Ukrainian counterpart on the next steps to be taken”, indicates the Ministry of National Defence, in a response sent to the Lusa agency.

The Ministry supervised by Helena Carreiras also adds that “regular contacts are maintained between the Ministry of National Defence and its Ukrainian interlocutors, with a technical visit by the logistical arm of the donor group to the place where the aircraft are parked last quarter. ”.

The six Kamov heavy firefighting helicopters without a license to operate in Portugal because they are of Russian origin are inoperable and are parked at Ponte de Sor airfield, Portalegre district.

The announcement of the sending of the Kamovs to Ukraine was made by Helena Carreiras in October 2022, a decision criticized, at the time, by Moscow, which considered it to be a “breach of its contractual obligations”.

Russian diplomacy considered that the Portuguese Government’s decision to send six Kamov firefighting helicopters to Ukraine, helping in the fight against the Russian invasion, is a “breach of contractual obligations” on the part of Lisbon, referring to the fact that are aircraft of Russian origin.

In June of this year, the Minister of Defence stated that preparations for sending the Kamovs were being planned.

Of the State’s six heavy helicopters, one has been in an accident since 2012, two others have been undergoing repairs since 2015 and the remaining three Kamov have been out of service since the beginning of 2018.

The Kamovs were acquired in 2006 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then led by the current Prime Minister, António Costa.

PJ dismantles criminal structure that exploited immigrants in Baixo Alentejo and arrests 28 people

Évora, 21 Nov 2023 (Lusa) – The Judiciary Police (PJ) today dismantled an organized criminal structure that was dedicated to exploiting immigrant workers in Baixo Alentejo, in an operation in which 28 people were arrested.

In a statement published on its website, the PJ indicated that the operation was launched by the National Counter Terrorism Unit of this police, within the scope of two investigations carried out by the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Évora.

This police operation, he highlighted, took place in several cities and parishes in Baixo Alentejo and involved around 480 PJ operatives, who carried out 78 home and non-domestic search warrants.

According to the PJ, so far, 28 people have been arrested, outside of the act of committing a crime, who are suspected of being part of “a criminal structure dedicated to exploiting the labor of immigrant citizens” in Baixo Alentejo.

The majority of immigrant citizens were “enticed in their countries of origin, such as Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, India, Senegal, Pakistan, among others, to come and work on agricultural farms in that region of our country”, he noted.

According to the PJ, the suspects, of Portuguese and foreign nationality, are indicted for committing crimes of criminal association, human trafficking, aiding illegal immigration, obtaining illegal labor, extortion, money laundering, fraud tax, offenses against physical integrity, possession of a firearm and forgery of documents.

The Judiciary Police highlighted that, during the so-called “Operation Mirror”, several pieces of evidence were seized and dozens of victims were identified.

This operation had the collaboration of Social Security in referring victims in need of immediate social support and logistical support from the Portuguese Air Force.

The detainees will be present for the first judicial interrogation, on Wednesday, to apply possible coercive measures.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 22nd November 2023

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all. With the weather due to get cooler in the next few weeks, it is probably a good time to get rid of any old garden waste as the fire risk is very low. This year has been one of the best on record for the lack of rural fires across the whole of Portugal including the Algarve, more on this further in this report, so make sure if you are burning waste that you follow the rules and stay safe.

With Christmas approaching, Safe Communities hosted an event in Sao Bras de Alportel. The event organised by Safe Communities Portugal and Amigos do Museu do Traje São Brás de Alportel was well attended with just under 50 participants. We were grateful that Marlene de Sousa Guerreiro Vice-Presidente Câmara da Municipal de São Brás de Alportel and Coronel Carlos Almeida GNR Commander Faro District Territorial Command were able to attend.

Presenters were Dr.ª Raquel Viana Head of the Communication, Innovation and Special Projects Division, Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária (ANSR) and  Capitão Samuel Afonso, GNR, Comando Territorial de Faro, who both delivered really excellent presentations in English that were very well received by the audience. These covered very wide topics concerning crime prevention and road safety and the operations planned over the Christmas and New Year periods.

Now a look at some of the stories from around the region for the past couple of weeks.

Man dies in collision between motorcycle and car in Castro Marim

A 47-year-old man died today following a collision between a motorcycle and a light vehicle on Estrada Nacional 122 (EN122) in Castro Marim.

According to a source from the Algarve Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident, which occurred in the town of Azinhal, also caused two minor injuries. The collision, for which an alert was given at 3:46 pm, forced the road to be closed until 5:15 pm, he said.

There were 17 operatives on site accompanied by six vehicles and a helicopter, the source concluded.

Three Motorcyclists die on the Algarve Roads within 12 hours at the Weekend

Three young motorcyclists lost their lives in the Algarve in three separate accidents last weekend, two of the motorcyclists lost control of their vehicles on the EN124-1, between Silves and Lagoa and the third on the IC2, in Salir, Loulé.

The alert for the first accident was given early in the evening, at the roundabout on the EN124-1, between Silves and Lagoa,  near the access to the A22. Rogério Marques, from Lagoa, aged 36, was assisted at the scene by emergency services, but died soon after at Portimão Hospital.

Almost simultaneously, “about a kilometre away, another motorcyclist, Rafael Candeias, 28 years old, from Bensafrim, Lagos, who belonged to the same group of friends as the first victim, suffered a crash on the junction between the EN124-1 and the EN125. His death was pronounced at the scene.

The last fatal incident occurred at 9:39am and took the life of 29 year old Miguel Bentes, this time at the IC2, in Salir, Loulé. Death was pronounced at the scene.

The GNR Criminal Investigation Unit for Road Accidents is investigating the circumstances of the three fatal accidents.

Two arrested for drug trafficking in Carvoeiro

Two 28-year-old men were arrested this Friday, November 17th, in Carvoeiro , in the municipality of Lagoa , for drug trafficking, announced the National Republican Guard. The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command, through the Carvoeiro Territorial Post, during a patrol.

The military noticed that two men were inside a vehicle demonstrating suspicious behaviour, and proceeded to carry out an inspection. During the action, the occupants showed some nervousness and 16 doses of cannabis and 15 doses of hashish were seized.

The detainees were accused and the facts were communicated to the Portimão Judicial Court.

Collision between two vessels leaves four injured on the Gilão River

Two recreational boats collided during the night of Thursday, November 16, at the mouth of the Gilão River , in Tavira , causing four injuries, one of them serious, announced the National Maritime Authority. The alert was given by a member of the public at 8pm and members of the Tavira Maritime Police Local Command, Tavira Municipal Firefighters and INEM were immediately called to the scene.

Each of the vessels had two people on board, one of whom was thrown into the water and became unconscious.

A member of the public who witnessed the accident rescued the man from the water using a pleasure boat and immediately carried out resuscitation manoeuvres, transporting him to the Quatro-Águas pier. Firefighters subsequently continued to provide assistance to the victim and transported him to a hospital unit.

The people ended up returning to the scene and using a tow from one of the injured boats, they took it to land, where they were assisted by firefighters. The other vessel was later recovered and towed ashore by the Maritime Police, finding itself out of control.

The Tavira Maritime Police Local Command took charge of the incident, having seized the vessels as a precautionary measure and means of evidence, initiating a maritime accident process to determine the causes of the accident.

28 violations detected at a campsite

The Faro Territorial Command of the National Republican Guard (GNR) detected 28 violations at a campsite in the municipality of Albufeira on November 11th , the security force announced. The infractions were detected through the Nature and Environment Protection Service of the Albufeira Territorial Detachment during an inspection action aimed at illegal camping.

87 campsites were inspected, which were found to be in non-compliance with the standards established for the installation of septic tanks.

During the action, 28 infraction notices were drawn up for non-compliance with these standards, which will be sent to the Portuguese Environment Agency.

Burnt area of ​​2800 hectares in the Algarve in 2023, well below expectations

The area burned in the Algarve in 2023, around 2,800 hectares (ha), is “much below” expectations given the meteorological severity of the region, affected by heat and extreme drought , highlighted the regional Emergency and Civil Protection commander.

“It’s a positive year. Within what was expected, we had a very positive year, well below the area that would be expected to be affected. Much lower, which is due to the efforts of all Civil Protection agents and forces that make up the device”, said Vítor Vaz Pinto, on the sidelines of the presentation of the balance of the Special Device to Combat Rural Fires in the Algarve.

In a year that was “particularly demanding from a meteorological point of view”, with high temperatures, lower than normal precipitation and all municipalities in severe or extreme drought, meteorological severity, a parameter that allows comparing the meteorological conditions to which fuels are subject, was “ very high” in the Algarve.

The weighted burned area for the region based on this meteorological severity “pointed to 17,800 hectares”, but in reality it was “considerably lower”, said the regional commander of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).

“Only 16% of this expected area was affected, that is, just over 2,700 ha [2789.21 ha]. It is, in fact, quite significant and here you can see the work that was done by all the forces of the device”, highlighted Vítor Vaz Pinto.

Between January 1st and October 31st, 269 fires were recorded, which were ignited in the region and resulted in a burned area of ​​789.77 ha, according to published data.

Compared to the history of the previous 10 years, in 2023 there were 16% fewer rural fires and 44% less burned area compared to the annual average for that period.

Compared to last year, these values ​​indicate a 28% increase in the number of fires and a 62% reduction in the total burned area.

On the other hand, the fire that broke out in August in the area of ​​Baiona, municipality of Odemira, district of Beja, whose burned area was more than 7,500 ha, also affected the Algarve municipalities of Aljezur (1,635.85 ha) and Monchique ( 363 , 59 ha).

Of the 269 fires that broke out in the region, 259 were controlled in the initial attack, before reaching the 90 minutes counted from the time of the alert, and average dispatch times were recorded for resources of 50 seconds, “well below” the maximum fire time. two minutes scheduled for the entire continental territory.

In 2023, fires with a burned area of ​​less than one hectare were the most frequent in the Algarve, representing 94% of the total, and there were only three fires with a burned area greater than 100 ha.

The investigation of all fires allowed the attribution of a cause for 161, the most frequent being misuse of fire (36% of the 269), accidental (14%) and arsonism (10%).

The ANEPC regional commander also highlighted the “substantial increase” in false alarms, which mostly correspond to authorised burning and represented 51.6% of the 556 occurrences between January 1 and October 31.

“Just because there are many false alarms, it does not mean that it is necessarily negative. This means that the population is more aware of these situations and naturally activates the system. […] I think it’s positive for people to activate the system and not wait. It is best to call 112, even if other people have done so, it is always preferable to communicate. The faster the alert arrives, the more likely it is that the fire will be put out”, maintained Vítor Vaz Pinto.

Algarve Fraudster Arrested in Brazil

Algarve fraudster Luís Estiveira, a 58 year old Portuguese businessman, who was on the run after being sentenced to seven years in prison for nine crimes of aggravated document forgery, has been arrested in Brazil.

The suspect was in a restaurant in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil, when he was detained by the Federal Police after being on the run, wanted by Portuguese police and with an Interpol Red Diffusion alert.

The Federal Police of Brazil reported that the arrest was carried out with the support of the Special Action Group Against Organized Crime (Gaeco/MPPB) and the Civil Police of Paraíba.

The businessman will be handed over to Brazilian authorities to be extradited to Portugal.

The Portimão court had convicted the man for using false bank guarantees to purchase fuel from oil companies, through the consignment system. Previously, he had already been convicted of the same crimes in Faro. The scheme, which took place in 2010 and 2011, was dismantled by the Judiciary Police (PJ) in 2014.

The forged bank guarantees, coming from a local bank, included the banking institution’s seal and the signatures of two administrators, allegedly forged by the defendant. To provide greater credibility, the guarantees were authenticated by a notary. Through this scheme, which involved the participation of three defendants, the businessman managed to acquire, from Sopor (currently Petrogal) and CEPSA, approximately one million euros in fuel, the supply of which was never paid for, according to reports.

At the time the trial was taking place, Luís Estiveira vehemently denied having falsified the bank guarantees, claiming to be the victim of a conspiracy on the part of the oil companies.

And Finally with the sad reports of the death of 4 motorcyclists on the Algarve Roads..

Motorcycle road safety campaign

The Christmas Campaign “And suddenly, everything changes!”, starts on Wednesday (15 November) with the aim of raising awareness among motorcyclists about reducing road accidents, according to the National Republican Guard (GNR).

Provisional data from ANSR indicates that in the period between January 1 of this year and August 31 there were 6,466 road accidents involving motorcycles, resulting in 85 fatalities.

Between January 2019 and August 2023, according to ANSR data, 35,233 road accidents involving motorcycles were recorded, resulting in 581 fatalities.

The campaign will run until December 15th and also aims to practise defensive driving and adopt safe behaviours on the road.

To everyone on the Roads, Stay Safe.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Travel allowance for pregnant women in the Azores extended to companions. 

Companions of pregnant women on islands without a hospital in the Azores will have access to a subsidy when traveling to another island for the birth, as of the entry into force of the next State Budget.

The “subsidy due to the need to travel to a hospital unit located outside the pregnant woman’s island of residence, to deliver the baby”, which was already granted to the pregnant woman, is now extended to the companion, who can be the spouse, living in a civil partnership or be a relative in the direct line or in the 2nd degree of the collateral line.

There are only hospitals on three of the nine islands in the Azores, so pregnant women from Santa Maria, São Jorge, Graciosa, Pico, Flores and Corvo must go to hospitals in São Miguel, Terceira and Faial to deliver.

PSP carries out Gunsmiths in Security operation. 

The Regional Command of the Public Security Police (PSP) of the Azores begins this Monday several inspections of gunsmiths in the archipelago, which will run until Friday, the police force announced.

In a statement, the PSP indicated that this operation, called Armeiros em Segurança, is part of the strategy outlined by the police “in terms of control of weapons, ammunition and explosives”.

According to the PSP, the activity of licensing weapons and explosives is carried out at a regional level “through the systematic use of all available technological resources, namely the Weapons and Explosives Information and Management System (SIGAE), which should and can be enhanced in inspection actions”.

New species of seafood discovered in the Azores with potential for exploration. 

A new species of shellfish was discovered in the Azores, in the bay of Praia da Vitória, in Terceira, a population of razor clams, the feasibility of exploitation of which “is now being studied by the Regional Government”.

The discovery was made by the Oceanic Studies Group and Naturalist – Science and Tourism, during the “Azores 2023” expedition.

This expedition, by the Oceanic Studies Group, specifically made it possible to discover a population of razor clams (Solen marginatus) in the bay of Praia da Vitória, on Terceira Island, in the Azores, details Naturalist, in a press release.

The discovery was made by Professor Alberto Machado, founder of the Oceanic Studies Group, during the “Azores 2023” expedition, which in partnership with the start-up MARE Naturalist – Science and Tourism, and in collaboration with OKEANOS (Institute of Research in Sciences do Mar), from the University of the Azores, “are committed to coordinating the mapping work and feasibility of exploring the species”.

The researchers believe that along with “the famous clams from Caldeira de Santo Cristo”, on the island of São Jorge, “the limpets and Caramujo, this could become a unique delicacy, a target for exploration and an alternative to the harvesting activity trade in the region, if properly regulated”.

According to Naturalist, Science and Tourism, an academic-based company in the Azores and founded by researchers from the University of Lisbon and the Azores, the feasibility of exploiting the new species “is now being studied by the Regional Government of the Azores, through the Regional Directorate of Fisheries “.

The company adds that a scientific publication has already been submitted with the results of the initial campaign and a proposal has been put forward to the Regional Government to finance a study on its distribution and abundance to support the taking of management measures for sustainable exploitation.

Until further information, the collection of the new species “is prohibited”, warns Naturalist.