Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 7^th August 2023

 

By David Thomas

Good afternoon everyone, the last few days have been dominated by the rural fires ion the mainland in particular the Odemira fire which was active for five days and was brought under resolution earlier today.

This and many of the other fires were largely predictable given the high temperatures, maximum fire risk in many parts of the country and fire danger at “extreme” and above in certain areas. Civil protection pre-positioned many resources in high risk areas accordingly. I outlined this on KissFm radio of Sunday and I hopefully the advice helped people in preparing and dealing with such fires.

It is important, however, to note that in forest fires it is not the high temperatures that produces the fires. In general it is human activity, often by carelessness, sometimes intentionally. The fires are facilitated by the existence of these high temperatures, the low humidity of the air, which make the vegetation dry and is more likely for it to ignite, and spread. We have to be even more careful. Unfortunately, we see that this is not what happens. Often, people undertake activities that they think will not have any consequences and cause these fires.

Safe Communities Portugal monitored the Odemira fire from the start and we created a major incident page on our website. To make it easier to follow. It was apparent from the outset that this would be a difficult fire to suppress, due to many factors such and deep and enclosed valleys which are difficult to access on land by fire fighters and track machines, the variable weather with high temperatures and in particular gusty and variable wind conditions sometimes up to 80 km/h.

These challenges were described by ANEPC as; “an area of interest approaching 9,000 ha, characterized by extensive areas of pine forest, adult and young eucalyptus, cork oaks, strawberry trees and bushes and a scattered building and rural/urban interface zones that required a dispersion of combat means for actions to protect the populations and protected heritage. As a result of the steep slope with embedded valleys, along with the constant reactivations, these became quickly out of suppression capacity, aggravated by the lack of conditions conducive to progression with crawler machines in the consolidation process”.

Taking advantage of improved weather conditions overnight 8th/9^th August the fire has been brought to a resolution today, but with increasing temperatures in the Algarve later today, with an orange level warning in place, some reactivations are inevitable.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 5,529 fire events have already affected 19,106 hectares of rural areas. Yesterday: there 153 and 170 on Monday.

The question also arose whether or not the government should declare a Situation of Alert to help deal with the outbreak of fires.

Secretary of State for Civil Protection announced this was being assessed on Sunday, taking into account the operational response to combat the fires and weather conditions. However, “as time progressed”, and based on a permanent daily assessment, “the situation began to change slightly” to a meteorological picture quite different from the one that we had initially in the middle of the afternoon of Sunday”. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that this is an instrument absolutely exceptional, as well as the declaration of the state of contingency.

Let us hope that we do not have to embark on these sort of measures as we did in 2022 during the heatwave, when there were more fires over a longer period.

The response to the creation of our new Facebook group, Safe Communities Portugal has exceeded expectations with close to 1700 members in just 40 days since it was formed. This group fills a vacuum as its aim is to increase risk awareness and preparedness, so everyone knows how to reduce the impact of major disasters where possible and action to take during such events. We have covered major fire events and will continue to do so during the months ahead. We ask people to monitor closely weather reports and in particular fire risks and dangers.

With that please have a safe week ahead.

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security report Wednesday 2^nd August 2023

“Largest security operation ever planned and executed in Portugal”, (Secretary General Internal Security System)

Good morning everyone – World Youth Day has finally started yesterday and the final day is on 6^th August 2023 It is expected to attract between one million over 1.5 million people from all over the world in Lisbon alone.

The main WYD initiatives will take place in Lisbon, in Parque Eduardo VII, in the Belém area and in Parque Tejo (north of Parque das Nações and on land in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures).Some areas where major events will be extremely crowded, and travel routes in the vicinity of the areas will also be congested at times. An example there will be 343 check points to control access to Parque Eduardo VII.

Pope Francis will arrive in Lisbon at 10:00 am today Wednesday and return to Rome at 18:15 on Sunday.

This is an unprecedented security operation in which 16,000 members of the: security, civil protection and medical emergency forces will be deployed, with the collaboration of the Armed Forces and the Spanish, European (Europol) and international police (Interpol). The aim is to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit.

Some of the police operational work will included a major anti pickpocketing operation, assisted by representatives from police in, Germany and Belgium, and stepped beach patrols on beaches along the Lisbon Cascais line.

The weather will be hot but not a heatwave, and there are health pointed signposted at locations where the main events are being held. We urge people to drink plenty of water to remain hydrated and use sunscreen and wear loose fitting clothes and wide brimmed hats to protect from the UV, which is forecast to be very high.

Included in the security measures is a prohibition on certain items you can’t take with you to the JMJ main event venues. This included: drones, fireworks, pyrotechnics, laser pointers, knives, glass objects like bottles. Due to the relocation of Pope Francis to the Shrine of Fatima, the use of unmanned aircraft (Drones) in the Cova da Iria airspace will be prohibited from July 29 to August 6, 2023. At all times follow the instructions of the security forces.

As an innovative step the IPMA have launched a microsite with meteorological information for quick information available will be for the airport, Central and east Lisbon covering the areas where the highest number of participants are expected. This is in English and Portuguese and very well presented except we would like to have seen UV included.

World Youth Day will cause constraints to traffic, with absolute restrictions from Parque Eduardo VII to downtown Lisbon on the 1st, 3rd and 4th of August, and constraints in the Parque das Nações area and on the Passeio Marítimo de Algés in the August 5th and 6th. There will be certain stations on the yellow and blue metro lines where stations are closed. We recommend therefore that people use public transport, and for those registered, transport provided by the organisers.

We also highlight that waste produced must be deposited in containers for recycling and, if it is not recyclable, place it in the undifferentiated container; Do not discard waste as you can image the situation if everyone did this with over a million people attending.

With so many people some criminals may take advantage of this and we emphasize the importance of keeping your property safe. There are many tips on the WYD website (In English) but we highlight to carry your wallet/cell phone in your back pocket or backpack, store them in a front pocket or zipped pouch that is always in contact with your body; always have your mobile phone with battery and the contact details of the other members of your group. In such crowds it is easy for people to become detached from people in their group or family members so ensure that you have their details and all have details of accommodation of where you are staying.

For those of you from overseas we welcome you to Portugal and to events in Lisbon. Have a safe stay and enjoyable stay. Complete details are on the WYD website: https://www.lisboa2023.org/en and safety and security updates on the Safe Communities Portugal Facebook page and that of Brits in Portugal

News

WYD: PSP and GNR registered 43 occurrences and arrested 91 people on Sunday

Lisbon, 31 July 2023 (Lusa) – PSP and GNR recorded 43 incidents related to World Youth Day (WYD) and arrested 91 people in the last 24 hours, said the Internal Security System (SSI) today.

According to a note from the SSI, which contains data provided by the entities that make up the WYD23 communication cell, the Public Security Police detained, on Sunday, 83 people and the National Republican Guard eight.

Most arrests are related to driving with excess alcohol, driving without a legal license, drug trafficking, thefts and robberies.

In the statement, the GNR reports that it involved, in the last 24 hours, 1,769 military personnel in 621 patrolling and awareness-raising actions.

Of the 39 incidents related to WYD registered by the GNR, the corporation highlights the three identified unauthorized ‘drones’, in which it was possible to identify a citizen, and the disturbances in a nightlife establishment in the municipality of Vendas Novas, in which 11 were identified. citizens, between a group of residents and a group of WYD participants, as well as a pilgrim who was run over in the municipality of Ourém and who suffered minor injuries.

The PSP indicates that it registered four occurrences, three of which in Lisbon and one in Elvas.

The Police specify that, in Elvas, a pilgrim from Congo got lost from the rest of the group and, in Lisbon, in Parque do Perdão, an inscription in English with the meaning of “500 victims of abuse by the Priests” and, on Avenida Marquês Tomar, in the Nossa Senhora de Fátima Church, there was a disagreement between Egyptian pilgrims.

Also at the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre, in Lisbon, the PSP reports that a pilgrim of Croatian nationality was the victim of theft, having had his camera stolen.

The PSP also indicates that, in terms of road accidents, it registered 103 accidents that caused two deaths and 42 serious injuries.

WYD, considered the biggest event of the Catholic Church that will count on the presence of Pope Francis, takes place in Lisbon from Tuesday to Sunday.

The main ceremonies of the day take place in Parque Tejo, north of Parque das Nações, on the riverside of the Tagus, in lands in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures, and in Parque Eduardo VII, in the center of the capital.

PSP detected situations of fraud related to meals and transport of pilgrims

At a press conference on WYD security, Artur Querido, from the Foreigners and Borders Service, revealed that on Monday, July 31st, more than 150,000 entries were registered in Portugal.

“The first major challenge for the security forces, Civil Protection and emergency medical teams is posed today at the end of the afternoon with the mass in Parque Eduardo VII whose turnout can reach 200 thousand pilgrims”.

More than 2000 buses are expected in parking spaces and Lisbon residents “must be prepared” to feel the first major constraints. “Therefore, the words that are addressed to residents and workers are: understanding, patience, unity, civility and hospitality. We are used to receiving well and we will continue to do so”.

PSP, which also participated in this conference, spoke about some situations of fraud with meals for pilgrims. “We were faced with two criminal situations. One related to speculation, in which pilgrims are contacted by drivers supposedly hired by the organization to transport them to their reception places, later demanding large sums for that service”.

“Another situation that was reported to us is the fraudulent use of QR codes from the credentials of pilgrims who have the food service. Situation used in an abusive way and when the pilgrim is going to use the meal, someone else has already done so”.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 26^th July 2023

Good morning – The main news for all the wrong reasons, this week, has of course been the intense fires in Greece, Italy Algeria and Tunisia; Greece feeling the brunt of this on the islands of Corfu and Rhodes.

This was not unexpected as we were forewarned beforehand, of the intense heat wave that would be affecting southern Europe with the presence of a “Heat Dome” duelled by heat from North Africa.

Coincidentally a subject that appeared to go unnoticed in the mainstream media that it was on the 23^rd July 2018 when fires broke out in the region of Attica, Greece which resulted in the deaths of 100 people with a further 200 injured

 The fire ravaged over 3000 homes, leaving hundreds of locals to take shelter in vacant hotels, a summer camp and a nearby army centre.  Roughly half of those who died were aged 60 or greater, due to difficulty these individuals had evacuating their homes quickly, given the speed with which the fire spread. Eleven children perished in the flames. The vast majority of victims were Greeks; four tourists also died.

Very fortunately, hopefully due to lessons learned since then, in the fires in Greece on this occasion, comparatively few have been injured, and there has so far thankfully been no deaths.

As demand for air travel soars, thousands of people were evacuated from Rhodes because of wildfires fanned by high winds and extreme heat. Between 7,000 and 10,000 British people were thought to be on the island as the wildfires spread, according to the Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell.

There have been harrowing scenes involving evacuations with both residents and tourists trying to escape the approaching flames.  The international community has stepped up as usual, with firefighters arriving from several countries to assist their local counterparts. With the situation clearly dangerous in certain areas on the island of Rhodes, most airlines acted as you would expect by flying aircraft empty to the island and evacuating those who were eager to return home. The exception to this was Ryanair who said it continued to operate flights as usual to Rhodes airport – which is not in an area directly affected by the fires so far. The company operates flights to Rhodes from airports including London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. Despite the emergency evacuations and wildfires it said: “Ryanair flights to/from Rhodes and Corfu are currently operating as normal and unaffected by the forest fires.”

In our view and I guess the views of many, this was highly irresponsible clearly putting profits ahead of public safety. Rhodes is a relatively small island and increasing the population at a time when the authorities are dealing with a major catastrophe does not make sense.

In Portugal we have so far escaped the heatwave, but when we look back to June/July 2022, we were also in the grip of one with air temperatures in the mid-40s.C with very low relativity and on occasion’s strong winds. As a result we encountered major fires but fortunately these were not close to highly populated areas or major tourist resorts. As in the case of the Monchique fire in 2019. We monitored the fires during the period and what was obvious in these extreme weather conditions was the considerable intensity of the fires, how quickly they spread and how long they lasted – some over one week.

This is why it is important to be aware of the fire risks, study weather forecasts and be prepared.  Unfortunately most experts agree that the situation will become worse and this of course includes Portugal. We have been fortunate so far this year but let’s see what the rest of the summer brings.

News

Four earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.1 and 3.4 felt in Terceira and Faial islands

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 25 July 2023 (Lusa) – Four earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.1 and 3.4 on the Richter scale were felt on Monday in Terceira and Faial islands, the Azores Seismovolcanic Information and Surveillance Center (CIVISA) reported.

According to CIVISA, the strongest earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.4, was recorded at 21:12 local time (22:12 in Lisbon) and had an epicentre around 39 kilometres west of Capelo, on the island of Faial.

The source said in a statement that the earthquake was felt with maximum intensity III/IV (Modified Mercalli Scale) in the parishes of Capelo, Castelo Branco and Pedro Miguel (Horta municipality, Faial) and with intensity III in the parish of Flamengos.

The three earthquakes recorded on Monday on Terceira Island occurred at 6:41 pm local time (7:41 pm in Lisbon), with a magnitude of 2.1; at 20:12 local time (21:12 in Lisbon), with a magnitude of magnitude 2.2; and at 20:13 (21:13 in Lisbon), with 2.4 magnitude.

The quakes had an epicentre about four kilometres northeast of Santa Bárbara.

Also according to CIVISA, earthquakes on Terceira Island were felt with maximum intensity III (two) and IV (one) on the Modified Mercalli scale, in the parishes of Santa Bárbara, Doze Ribeiras and São Bartolomeu, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo.

Comment

There has been over one hundred very slight earthquakes west of Faial Island over the last two weeks, most not felt, with the exception of 4.5 magnitude 3 days ago.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 19^th July 2023.

The bad news is that southern Europe is in the grip of a major heat wave, but the good news is that at least at present it will not extend to Portugal.

Of course is little comfort to our friends and relatives, in countries that are suffering particularly in Italy, Greece and Spain for our friends.

A big difference in the fires we are currently encountering here in Portugal compared to the fires in some countries in south Europe, is that the fires in those countries are burning with far greater intensity, due to the extreme weather conditions. We can recall back to 2022 when here in Portugal we also encountered the heatwave which resulted in a series of large fires burning uncontrollably some last a week or so.

 What has formed over most of southern Europe is a “heat dome” which in simple terms, the works like a lid on a pot. The extensive dome results in the trapping of a hot air mass at all levels underneath, sinking toward the ground. Air mass becomes particularly anomalous at the lowest elevations. Thus it creates very stable weather and often arid air mass with minimal chances for precipitation or even clouds—the sinking air parcels in the centre of the heat dome result in rising temperatures.

Typically, much warmer and drier than usual weather results in a significantly enhanced wildfire threat due to developing drought or even worsening the ongoing, pre-existing, arid conditions. Heat dome is often also to blame for being responsible for deadly heatwaves worldwide.

This is compounded by the fact that parts of southern are being affected by dust from the Sahara, which can affect the use of firefighting aircraft in the event of a fire. One can only imaging the dangers for aerial fire fighters faced with both smoke and dust when tackling wildfires at low levels.

Due to major fires in Greece EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activate at the countries request for addition aircraft which has been provided. The fires in the country look severe and this will likely have an adverse effect on tourism in those areas.

Monday was a challenging day in Portugal with over 65 fires, with three mobilizing over 700 operatives. At one stage in Castelo Branco 14 aircraft were deployed in fighting two fires, this being a large deployment (20%) of the total available in mainland Portugal. Commanders must be congratulated on the fast response action we have seen with a sizable number of resources deployed reach the theatre of operations (To0 within minutes.

Although of course it would be far better, if fires did not start in the first place, the fast response is often the deciding factor as to where or not a fire can be contained quickly or spreads to a situation where it becomes out of control with a perimeter that can extend many kilometres.

Thank fully the number of fires has not been that high so far. When it does and there are several fires in close proximity breaking out at similar times then the allocation of resources, especially aircraft becomes much more of a logistical challenge.

Related to this we are very pleased with the response to our new Facebook group with nearly 800 members so far. This is tackling the issues such as those above, by helping people be more aware and prepared in the event of natural disasters. We do encourage you to join as at some stage faced with a major fire for instance you will not have to study of what action to take – by that time it is far too late. We welcome you to join our new page here.

Our team wish you a happy and safe week ahead.

News

Portugal escapes the heat wave, but there are tropical nights in the Algarve

Forecasts point to the country registering values ​​within the normal range for the season, at least in the next two weeks, points out IPMA meteorologist Bruno Café.

Portugal is passing by the heat wave that has affected Europe, with temperatures exceeding (by far) 40 degrees in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy.

The trend is that, at least in the next two weeks, the country will maintain values ​​“within normal for the season or even a little below”, explains Bruno Café, meteorologist at the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere.

There is, however, an exception to the south, with “the Algarve region, particularly in the Sotavento Algarve, where temperatures are higher, even on tropical nights, with minimums above 20 degrees”, adds the specialist.

As for August, forecasts point to temperatures within what is considered normal for the season or just a little above it.

ASAE closes 11 local accommodations in Lisbon after operation against illegal immigration

Lisbon, 18 Jul 2023 (Lusa) – The Food and Economic Security Authority closed today 11 local accommodations in Lisbon and initiated six administrative offense proceedings, following the operation that dismantled a criminal organization of illegal immigration, operating in several European countries.

In a statement, the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) says that the main violations detected had to do with “lack of registration, lack of hygiene conditions, the presence of pests, lack of safety conditions and protection measures, violation of personal data and capture and recording of images without proper authorization, among others”.

ASAE refers that it was part of the joint global operation coordinated by EUROJUST (European Union agency for cooperation in criminal justice matters) and EUROPOL (European Union agency for police cooperation), to “dismantle a criminal association responsible for circulating in the Europe of illegal migrants”.

“As part of this operation, aimed at combating human trafficking and aiding illegal immigration, ASAE, through its Southern Regional Unit, today carried out the inspection of more than a dozen local accommodation located in the city of Lisbon, where more than a hundred immigrants were housed, some of whom are illegally staying in the national territory”, advances the ASAE.

As a result of today’s operation, ASAE determined the suspension of 11 local accommodations (AL) and initiated six administrative offense proceedings.

ASAE also mentions that it will continue to develop inspection actions “in favour of healthy and fair competition between economic operators, in safeguarding consumer safety and in verifying compliance with current regulations”.

Following this joint operation, the Judiciary Police, through the National Unit Against Terrorism, arrested on Monday six people in the Lisbon region, suspected of being part of a criminal organization that encourages illegal immigration, suspected of crimes of criminal association. , human trafficking, aiding illegal immigration and forgery of documents.