Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 21^st August 2024

 

Good morning. We start and end with the Madeira fires which have been burning for eight days days. There has been widespread concern among the Madeira population and some firefighting experts that the Madeira government was slow to react when the fire broke out last Wednesday. Jorge Mendes, commander and specialist in Civil Protection, stated on Monday that:  “When we put off the problem, it leads us to scenarios like these.” He sees the current operational situation as the result of an “underestimation” of the first signs that this fire would reach dramatic proportions. It lead to the evacuation of several points in the Autonomous Region”.

He adds that “this fire had characteristics very similar to previous fires, the operational decision should have taken into account the historical assessment of Madeira, the temperature and the wind speed”. In this case, “it is not normal to have temperatures above 30 degrees and gusts of 65 km/h”. “All of this led us to believe that if there were a fire outbreak, we would have a lot of difficulties”.

The fire chief’s opinion is echoed by several other civil protection experts who note how there should have been a “more muscular” response in the first hours when the flames began to be contained in the high areas of Ribeira Brava, on Wednesday. However, the topography in Madeira is very steep, which makes accessibility very difficult if not impossible except by air, when wind conditions allow.

On the mainland we have become used to this “muscular approach”, where the response to fires is very quick with additional resources being deployed, to try and avoid fires increasing in intensity and spreading to a point when situation becomes out of control as is happening now in Madeiria. For the first day in the Madeira fire one helicopter (the only one available) with less than 20 operatives were deployed. The delay in the Madeira government accepting assistance offered by the mainland, allowed the fire to develop further.

The Minister of Internal Administration said yesterday the Government “will evaluate” the request for permanent reinforcement of aerial resources to fight fires in Madeira, but also highlighted that it is still premature to make this analysis. In SCP’s view the current situation of just one helicopter is totally inadequate! What would happened if it was down for maintenance or otherwise inoperable?

President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, defended, this Wednesday, the need to “lower the alarmist rhetoric” because the “situation is safe” and the authorities are “doing what they have to do” in fighting the fire that has been ravaging the region for about a week. No homes or infrastructures were destroyed, considering that, in the fight against the fire, “the results are positive”.

However the National Civil Protection Union today demanded accountability and calls for the resignation of the president of the Regional Civil Protection Service, António Nunes, and the regional secretary for Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos.

There is certainly a need for a review (as I am sure there will be), to address the effects of climate change with higher temperatures, more intense fires, to focus on preparedness and to enable a more muscular approach when fires ignite – as they will in the future.

Unfortunately there are many tourists who continue to disregard the signs that determine the closure of hiking trails due to the fires that are ravaging in Madeira. As previously reported, the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) advises against traveling in mountain areas.

A reminder if you are visiting Madeira to download the Civil Protection recommend that you download their ProCiv Madeira (Emergency) App, especially with the RURAL FIRE situation at present. The Regional Civil Protection Service, IP-RAM, advises the entire population and visitors to download our application, considering it an added value in providing assistance.

When you call 112 via the app, the control centre will receive your last known position as well as a personalized profile for you. You will also be notified with recommendations for weather warnings and real-time information such as fires and road closures. More details here: https://www.procivmadeira.pt/pt/galeria-de-imagens-3.html?

 

News

Madeira fire analysis

Forest fire expert Domingos Xavier Viegas advocated the use of more aerial resources to combat fires like the one raging in Madeira, as well as more land resources to consolidate extinction.

Air combat must be carried out with at least pairs of planes, if possible more, so that there is a more frequent sequence of discharges and that allow the fire to be attacked and extinguished”, stressed, in statements to the Lusa news agency, the director of the Forest Fire Studies Laboratory.

When asked about the fire in Madeira , the expert stressed that a single combat air vehicle “loses effectiveness” in a fire that is difficult to access for ground vehicles and has several fronts, because while it goes to refuel after attacking one area of ​​the fire, the fire “continues to progress”.

Xavier Viegas also defended more land resources to “consolidate the extinction” of fronts that are being fought through the air.

If we don’t go there and complete the extinguishing process, which is carried out by air discharge with ground combat (…) that fire will quickly reignite because, even the chemical product that was released, after some time may lose its extinguishing capacity”, he stressed.

For the expert, “fighting has to be done by anticipating what the fire will do and trying to find containment zones that can help contain the fire”, pointing out that a fire that has been burning for “so many days certainly did not require many human resources, for the perimeter it has, of several kilometers”.

Another point of concern identified by the forest fire specialist is the “secondary outbreaks”, highlighting that, sometimes, the fire “may be descending a slope and spreading towards the opposite valley, with this outbreak rising with much greater intensity and, sometimes, upon reaching the top of the slope, it may even spread towards the next valley”.

Xavier Viegas also pointed out the climate change recorded in Madeira , with lower humidity and more periods of high temperatures, highlighting the importance of “cleaning vegetation, removing the most flammable vegetation and when this is not enough, complementing it with protective measures”.

The director of the Forest Fire Studies Laboratory also said that it is important to learn lessons from this “already large-scale fire”, to understand “to what extent everything possible is being done to prevent the fire from spreading, so that there are areas where it can be contained”.

Data from the European Forest Fire Information System, indicated by the president of the Regional Civil Protection Service, António Nunes, indicate that 4,392 hectares of area had been burned by 12:00 on Tuesday.

 

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report 13^th August 2024

 

Good afternoon – Well it had to happen! And by this I am referring to the two fires in Braganca one at, Vimioso and the other at the Montesinho Natural Park, which have been burning since Saturday 10^th August. The fires were initially contained but then re-ignited. At the time of writing both are now under conclusion.

Earlier the Civil protection authority announced preventive measures people should take over the following days, stating that they foresee: “the occurrence and spread of rural fires, highlighting “the increase in the difficulty of suppressing fires, especially in interior North and Centre and in the Algarve”.

This is a point that we have constantly stressed referring to the Fire Weather Index (FWI), which is an indicator of the potential intensity and spread of fires. This is why we publish on Facebook each morning the FWI map, which over the last few days has clearly shown the FWI at EXTREME level in the north east of the mainland Bragança and Guarda in particular.

The FWI indicates intensity of potential fires by combining the rate of fire spread with the amount of fuel being consumed, taking into account temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, drought conditions, fuel availability, vegetation characteristics and topography.

Critical’ fires are defined as those covering an area greater than 10,000 ha and are challenging to extinguish until air temperatures fall and precipitation increases. They are typically associated with ‘extreme’ fire danger, which is an FWI of over 50. This is the case in the two fire areas concerned but the area burned is not known.

We cannot stress enough therefore the importance for everyone to study these maps and other information and be prepared. The fire in the Montesinho Natural Park resulted in environment has been destroyed comprising large area of scrubland, as well as chestnut and oak trees. The fire had threatened two villages but it was not necessary to evacuate the population.

On a more general note the number of rural fires reached its highest level this year in July, with 1,082 occurrences, almost double the 596 rural fires recorded in June, and was also responsible for the largest area burned this year. Even so, the 1,082 rural fires in July is well below the average for the decade 2014-2023 for the same period, which was 2,193.

Safe Communities receives many enquiries on all sorts of crime and civil protection matters. This include requests from people overseas claiming that they have been a victim of crime perpetrated in Portugal. For example the victim residing overseas claims that he/she is a victim of on-line fraud, the fraudster being in Portugal. Sometimes personal details of the alleged fraudster are provided. The victim then asks Safe Communities either to make a complaint to the police here on their behalf, or take other actions.

I need to make this clear that we are not a law enforcement agency nor do we conduct investigations of any sort, that is the work of the police!

We have discussed this with the relevant unit of the Judicial Police, and they have confirmed our understanding that if you are the victim of a crime whilst overseas, or living overseas, then you should report this to your local police station there. They are responsible for receiving the crime complaint and conducting investigations which could include contacting the police, through the official channels, in the country where the culprit may be living.

We wish you a safe week ahead.

News

Algarve’s Benagil caves with new access rules starting today

Lagoa, Faro, 13 Aug 2024 (Lusa) – The Benagil Caves, in the municipality of Lagoa, in the Algarve, have new access rules as of today, which include the prohibition of disembarking and swimming access to their interior.

The new measures, which aim to regulate the traffic of maritime-tourist vessels, private individuals and beach users, both in the water and in the vicinity of the Benagil cave and sinkhole, were published in an official notice on July 30.

It is now forbidden for individuals and companies to disembark or use the sand inside the Benagil cave, access to the caves by swimming or with flotation devices, and the rental of kayaks without a guide in the cave area.

There are also limits on the number of boats and kayaks inside the cave, maximum times for visits and a ratio of one guide kayak for every six kayaks with visitors for kayak tours in the area.

There are also provisions for administrative offences (fines), which in the most serious cases can reach up to 216,000 euros, for operators of maritime-tourist vessels who do not comply with the rules set out in the notice.

Located off Benagil beach, the caves are considered to be a relevant natural heritage site and one of the main tourist attractions in the Algarve, which, in the summer, has attracted the interest of more and more visitors, especially by sea.

The notice, which comes into force 10 working days after its publication, resulted from the work developed by the Benagil Caves Working Group, formed in August 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 31^st July 2024

Good morning. We start with some sad news and that is a nine-year-old girl has died following an attack in northwest England, police confirm, raising the death toll to three children from the stabbings at a yoga and dance class. All three victims were girls and five children and two adults remain in a critical condition.

Portugal Communities Minister Jose Cesario has confirmed that a nine-year-old Portuguese girl Alice Aguiar, originally from Madeira, had been killed in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on Hart Street in Southport on Monday. This is a simply a horrific and senseless attack and our condolences go the families and friends of the victims. Typical of social media, a name has been shared on social media in connection with the suspect in the incident in Southport,” police said on Tuesday. “This name is incorrect and we would urge people not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing.”

Also on the subject of violence, four young Dutch holidaymakers were violently stabbed in the early hours of Monday morning in Albufeira. A fifth received light stab wounds. All were transported to hospital. Literally within hours of the minister of interior administration visiting the town grappling to control anti-social “excessive behaviour”, this latest incident occurred – again in the ‘incident blackspot’ of downtown Oura.

According to reports, the young group of Dutch – aged between 17 and 21 – were returning to their holiday village in the early hours when they “started to complain because of the loud music coming from one of the apartments. “The aggressors, holidaymakers from the Republic of Ireland, allegedly went to get knives and attacked the victims”. Emergency services were quickly called to the scene: 32 operatives and 12 vehicles from the fire stations of Albufeira and Messines, as well as INEM medical response and GNR police. Three knives were “seized”. PJ police are now investigating. This will do nothing to improve the reputation of this part of Albufeira which has developed a reputation for late night disturbances over several years. Planning is at an advance stage to install 70 CCTV cameras, to help provide a deterrence, enforcement and monitoring the situation.

Google’s forest fire mapping tool, which is based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology, is being launched in 15 new countries in Europe, including Portugal, and Africa the technology company announced yesterday. According to estimates, “the European territory prone to fires has doubled in the last 50 years”, says Yossi Matias, vice president and head of Google Research, in a post on the Google Portugal blog. This will particulary assist those travellers through these countries being able to identify major fires along their planed route and therefore avoid them. Safe Communities has issued, on Facebook, details of how to access this through Google Maps. An excellent and well needed initiative. https://portugal.googleblog.com/?

The ANSR Road Safety association ANSR launches the “Safe the Holidays” campaign, which runs until September 1st and aims to raise awareness among drivers about the need to ensure their road safety, as well as of everyone who travels on the road. Being this time of the year when there is an increase in travel on Portuguese roads, ANSR calls for everybody’s cooperation in adopting safe behaviours: Perform vehicle maintenance before departure; Respect the speed limits; If you drink, don’t drive; Don’t distract yourself with your mobile phone; Always wear your seatbelt; Respect the safety distances and stop for a rest on long journeys.

Our team wish everyone a safe week ahead,

News

Defence Minister highlights the role of the armed forces in preventing fires

Marinha Grande, Leiria, 30 Jul 2024 (Lusa) – The Minister of defence today highlighted the role of the Armed Forces in preventing and detecting rural fires, after monitoring a patrol in the national forest, in Marinha Grande.

“The military is not in the barracks, they are working every day for the benefit of the population. This applies to fire prevention, search and rescue operations, medical emergencies, organ transportation, and combating human trafficking and drug trafficking,” Nuno Melo told reporters.

For the Minister of Defence, the “Armed Forces are always there and that is very relevant”.

Nuno Melo explained that the role of the military is to “detect fires, in collaboration with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests [ICNF], together with other entities, so that, in an articulated manner, this mission is more effective”, so that at the end of the fire season “they have not happened”.

And if they didn’t happen, it’s because “there was prevention and this prevention takes a lot of work and involves a lot of investment and a lot of coordinated effort”.

According to the data presented, there are 32 patrols monitoring the forest territory, supporting the ICNF. “We also have engineering detachments, which are essential for shaping the terrain so that firefighters can attack the fire itself. Then we have our platoons, which do the aftermath, surveillance and mitigate possible rekindling”, explained Colonel Tiago Lopes, commander of the Military Emergency Support Unit.

Nuno Melo stressed that his presence on one of the patrols is a way of showing the Portuguese that “in times of peace, the military performs multiple tasks for the daily benefit of the population and among these tasks, fire prevention actions”.

“And when fires do not occur in Portugal, it is often precisely because the armed forces, along with other entities, are committed to these actions, which are fundamental”, stressed the minister.

Bathing and fishing banned in the Douro due to pollutant discharge after fire in Porto

Bathing and recreational fishing were prohibited this Tuesday as a precaution between the cement pier and the mouth of the Douro, in Porto, due to the discharge of polluting materials into the Granja River caused by the fire in the Nors group.

“An edict was published prohibiting bathing and recreational fishing along the entire stretch, from the cement pier [near the Casa d’Oro restaurant] to the mouth of the Douro River as a precaution”, said today the captain of the Port and local commander of the Douro and Leixões Maritime Police.

Speaking to journalists at Largo do Calém, where work is underway to clean the waters due to the discharge of polluting materials from the fire that occurred on Monday in the industrial area of ​​Porto, Silva Lampreia stated that the ban “does not affect any river beach” . The ban covers a stretch of approximately 2.7 kilometres.

Porto City Council is trying to minimize the effects of the discharge of polluting materials into the mouth of the Granja River and consequently into the Douro River, estimating that cleaning work will be completed on Wednesday.

The fire affected the offices of Auto Sueco Portugal, Aftermarket Portugal and Amplitude Seguros, companies in the Nors group.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 24^th July 2024

A very busy day yesterday as far as rural fires are concerned, with at least four fires classified as a “significant occurrences” by the ANEPC. Central areas of the mainland were the main areas affected, particularly Leiria District. At one stage there were nearly 900 operatives deployed (Civil Protection, Bombeiros, GNR and municipal resources, and up to 14 aircraft.

One again firefighting aircraft proved their worth, as one of the fires in the Andreus area, in the municipality of Leiria, posed a major challenge, due to the difficulty in accessing land resources to get close to the flames to fight them. A civil commander spokesperson said “We are fighting this fire only with aerial resources, because land resources cannot reach it, which worries us”

This is not as uncommon as it sounds. When I visit Pedrogrão Grande a few days ago with my colleague Fernanda, we saw many dense forests mainly of eucalyptus trees on steep hills which would be virtually impossible to fight any fire by land resources. When you factor in moderate/high winds, which can change direction and speed frequently, a situation often found in hilly conditions, this gives idea of the challenges involved.

The signs are that the level of fire risk which we have seen in the last two weeks is set to continue. The level is would say average for the summer, with the main high risk areas being the Algarve, Centre and parts of north east. As we have said many times before, it is very important if you are living in rural areas to be prepared, by having an emergency kit in case of evacuation and a plan of what to do should a fire approach your home. Fires can travel at great speed and intensity, so being prepared is very important.

We emphasise once again the importance of checking the daily weather reports and fire risk and Fire Weather Index (FWI) so that you are aware of the conditions in your area as well as areas that you may be visiting. With the holiday season many will be visiting areas of the Portuguese mainland which are prone to fires, so it is best to familiarize your self should a fire break out. This is particularly important in isolated areas. Ensure your mobile phone is kept fully charged.

If you have visitors staying with you, ensure that they are informed about the fire risk in your area in case they are planning to undertake countryside walks for instance. Be aware of the high temperatures sometimes over 40C. Those from overseas, used to cooler climates, should take care and the golden rule is not to hike alone in the extreme high temperature conditions, when high temperature warnings are in place. Early morning is a safer time and ensure others know exactly which route you are taking and how long it will be before returning. Common sense really, but sometimes overlooked.

On the issue of preparation, we thank all of those who participated in the “Preparedness for common natural hazards in Portugal” survey which we launched in March this year. We thank Kirsten Cooke a volunteer with Safe Communities for all her work based on her professional experience in this subject. Over 700 people participated which is a great result and we will be publishing the results shortly.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a safe week ahead.

News

CP suspends strike scheduled for this Wednesday

The CP – Comboios de Portugal strike, scheduled for this Wednesday (24) has been suspended due to an agreement with workers. According to the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans), the agreement established between the 12 unions and the railway transport company foresees the return to negotiations in the last week of September.

“Under the terms of the agreement, all salary indexes will be updated by a further 1.5% from 1 August 2024 and the value of the meal allowance will rise to 9.20 euros”, can be read in a statement published by the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (Fectrans).

The union structures that went on strike on Monday and had planned another day of strike for Wednesday stated, in the joint statement, that it was assumed in this agreement “that the new professional categories resulting from the merger of current categories are voluntary and that they will remain in place with the guarantee of career progression and the same functions”.

The union structures also highlighted that CP’s management “agreed to implement the agreement of May 29, 2023, unifying the annual productivity and review bonuses, for the same value as the driving career bonus, with effect from August 1 of this year, with the next payment in February 2025”.

The agreement also provides, without “prejudice to the application of what has now been agreed” , that from the last week of September “negotiations will be resumed”, with the aim of “reviewing the salary scales”, “agreeing with the trade unions on the transition rules for the new salary scales” and “continuing to agree on the functional contents of the careers/categories in which the need for continued discussion was identified”, they also stressed. 

Knowledge Pavilion celebrates its anniversary and has already been visited by 5.6 million people

Lisbon, 24 July 2025 (Lusa) – The Pavilhão do Conhecimento, which has already revealed the “secret life” of the intestines and shown the science behind aviation, has been visited by 5.6 million people since it opened its doors in Lisbon 25 years ago.

The data was released to Lusa by the “largest interactive science and technology center in the country” on the eve of its anniversary, which is celebrated on Thursday.Since July 25, 1999, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento – Centro Ciência Viva has received 5.6 million visitors, the majority of whom are Portuguese families.

Among foreign visitors, Brazilians and Spaniards stand out.

In 2023, the venue, which annually hosts exhibitions, recreational and educational activities and lectures, was visited by almost 300,000 people, around 37,000 more than the previous year.

The previous record for visitors was in 2002, the year in which the scientific and technological dissemination space received more than 272,500 people.

The first half of 2024 saw 171,500 visitors, with families leading the way, followed by schools and foreign tourists.

Located in Parque das Nações, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento inherited one of the emblematic buildings from Expo’98, the world exposition on the oceans.

Designed by architect Carrilho da Graça, the building then housed the Pavilhão do Conhecimento dos Mares, one of the most visited.

Its original name is based on the word “knowledge”, provided by the many exhibitions that the pavilion rents, produces or exports.

The most visited were, in 2004, “The Flight”, which showed the science and technology of aviation, in 2007 and 2008, “Knojo!”, which revealed the “indiscreet science” of the human body, in 2019 and 2020, “Pum!”, which exposed the “secret life” of the intestines, and, in 2022 and 2023, “Dinosaurs: The Return of the Giants”, which went back to the time when these animals inhabited the Earth.

In October, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento will have a new exhibition, “Science of Pixar”, which will be open until August next year and will reveal “the science of special effects” of characters from animated films produced by Disney/Pixar studios.

In total, there are 20 Ciência Viva Centers in Portugal.

The Pavilhão do Conhecimento, which is the headquarters of Ciência Viva – National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture, is one of them, and the largest.

Its address is Largo José Mariano Gago, named after the physicist (1948-2015) who was Minister of Science (1995-2002 and 2005-2011) and today is immortalized in the name of the auditorium of the Centro Ciência Viva that he himself inaugurated in 1999.

On its anniversary, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento will have activities with free entry (entrance to the space is usually paid, at a price ranging from 9 to 14 euros) and prizes to be won, as many as the number of years the venue has been open to the public.