“I am in permanent contact with the Interior Minister, we have known peace and the situation regarding Odemira is now being made. member of the government” indicated.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, speaking to TVI and RTP on a beach in the Algarve, believed that “now, in addition to the forest, agriculture and tourism are at stake”.
The head of state stressed that “there was a great solidarity” that was “spectacular”, with “farmers helping farmers, neighboring municipalities helping this municipality”.
“But now it is necessary to roll up our sleeves and see how the response to such a major devastation is grounded,” he warned.
The President of the Republic indicated that the “problem in Odemira, in addition to the wind, was the temperature, the lack of humidity and the difficulty of responding because of the relief, the orography”, but considered that “still, the answer was what was possible in these circumstances”.
Given that “unfortunately it’s too hot today”, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he hoped “there wouldn’t be too many of these days, because it would be useful to maintain a certain temperature drop”.
When asked about the statements made by the president of the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF) that led to the resignation of the Liga dos Firefighters, the head of state said he had not followed the situation “very closely”. but indicated that “the Home Secretary was concerned about silencing the League of Firefighters”.
“I think AGIF’s chairman immediately apologized and admitted that things had not gone well,” he stressed, stressing that “it is essential that we are all united and remain united, not only during this period, because the problem of burn all over the year”.
The fire that broke out in the municipality of Odemira in the Alentejo on Saturday and spread to the municipalities of Monchique and Aljezur (Faro) this morning still mobilized nearly 1,000 operational personnel and six air assets, although the fire had been contained since Wednesday.
The fire, which was deemed under control on Wednesday, still has several areas of concern, especially on the southern front, so firefighters should remain on site for the next few days, a civil defense source said at a briefing held Wednesday. .
The area burned by this fire covers about 8,400 hectares, in a circumference of 50 kilometers.
The fire destroyed at least two houses, one as the first home in Vale Juncal, in São Teotónio, in the municipality of Odemira, and another, which will become a holiday home, in the Boavista area, in Odeceixe, in the municipality of Aljezur. .
The flames also destroyed a rural tourism unit, also in Vale Juncal, with owners complaining about the lack of help from firefighters.
On Tuesday, the League of Portuguese Firefighters handed the prime minister a letter demanding the resignation of the president of the National Fire Service, Tiago Oliveira, for an “irreparable breach of trust” after questioning in parliament in July about the “fire service receiving according to the burnt area”, given the “perverse objective”.
On the same day, the Interior Minister declined to comment on this demand from the firefighters, explaining only that he understood Tiago Oliveira’s explanation.
Source: DN
