Alert situation prompts reinforcement of fire surveillance
The Municipal Civil Protection Commission of Setúbal is monitoring the declaration of alert status issued for mainland Portugal, due to the maximum risk of forest fires, and has reinforced surveillance in the Arrábida Natural Park.
Following the declaration of a red level fire risk, decreed by the Government for the period between 13:00 pm on September 15 and 23:59 pm on the 17th, the Municipal Civil Protection Commission (CMPC) of Setúbal held a meeting on the morning of the 16th, in which protection and rescue, emergency and assistance entities that comprise it participated.
The declaration, although indicating general restrictions at a national level, points to the need to adopt preventive and special reaction measures depending on whether the fire risk is high, very high or maximum.
In meteorological terms, the forecast from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere places the municipality at a high level (yellow), which prompted CMPC, under the coordination of the Mayor of Setúbal, to carry out special monitoring with increased surveillance in the Arrábida Natural Park.
As part of monitoring the evolution of the scenario, the commission will adopt additional measures, if justified, with a review meeting scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
The declaration of a state of alert for the entire national territory indicates the adoption of exceptional measures, such as the prohibition of access, circulation and permanence inside forest spaces and paths, as well as on other roads that cross them, as well as making fires or smoking in these places.
It is prohibited to carry out burning and burning of leftovers and forestry work using any type of machinery and in other rural areas with brushcutters with metal blades or discs, brush cutters, shredders and machines with blades or front shovels.
The use of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices, regardless of their form of combustion, is also prohibited.
The Government determines “the increase in the level of readiness and operational response by the GNR and PSP, with increased resources for surveillance, inspection, patrolling to deter behaviour and general support for protection and rescue operations”.
The declaration of the alert situation also defines an increase in the level of readiness and mobilization of medical emergency, public health and social support teams, alongside the permanent mobilization of forest firefighting teams and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
