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Algarve |
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Presentation Ceremony for the Operational Device to Fight Forest Fires
• 17 May 2007 •
 THE Interior Minister, António Costa, came to the Algarve to preside over the Albufeira Ceremony, for the presentation of the Operational Device to Fight Forest Fires at the District of Faro. Also attending was the Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Ascenso Simões.
In his speech, Costa said he was happy with the results of the 2006 summer forest fire prevention campaign, but made an appeal, stating it is everybody’s duty to help to protect the forests.
Last year’s figures suggest a considerable decrease in the area of Portugal’s forests which were destroyed by forest fires. In 2006, the total area destroyed by bushfires was only one third of the average of the last five years, an “exceptional” result which perhaps "will not be repeated" in the future, stressed the minister. “We are aware that there is still a lot of work to be done in the structural reform of the forests to achieve such an important decrease in the forest fires figures,” he said, adding that this task should only be concluded by 2012.
Underlining that during this year’s most “critical” phase of the summer forest fires season, at national level, 9,000 people will be working on the surveillance, detection and combat of forest fires. In spite of having so many people on stand by, the Minister said that he would like also to count on everybody’s help. "Most of the forest fires aren’t started on purpose, they result from negligent human behaviour,” said Costa.
During the “Bravo” phase, between May 15 and June 30, the district of Faro will have 244 firemen and 62 fire fighting vehicles always on stand by and during the “Charlie” phase, between July 1 and September 30, 330 fire fighters and 75 vehicles will be kept on permanent alert.
According to the District Commandant of the National Service of Firemen and Civil Protection, Vítor Vaz Pinto, Algarve has 300 thousand hectares of green belt area and 1,556 active firemen. The Minister added that this year, 20 platoons of Portugal’s Army military sappers will be helping the fire brigades.
Costa also stressed that due to the success of the tests made last year, he is planning to increase the number of forest areas which will be under video surveillance, adding that the government is already studying the possibility of placing electronic surveillance equipment in all of the country’s main forest areas. |  Return to Top
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