Firefighters were back in the Monchique area last night as two blazes took hold on Saturday evening, starting in an area of scrubland and eucalyptus near the county capital.
Around 180 firefighting personnel were involved in battling the fires which were soon brought under control, helped slightly by recent lower temperatures and higher humidity.
The local police already are investigating the cause of these highly suspicious fires, one being logged as starting at 20:50 and the other one slightly later, a pattern indicating they had been set deliberately.
Regional fire services are in a high state of readiness despite the lower temperatures. Despite smatterings of rain over recent days, there have been no sustained downpours to dampen the countryside.
This latest Monchique incident did not cause damage to any properties and was put out after four hours, to the relief of the authorities who are still trying to cope with the devastation caused by the August fire which destroyed 27,000 hectares, properties and many small businesses.
Comments
The so called idiot that starts the fire get's paid a few hundred euros (3 guesses to who pays him) and then pleads insane when caught and presented to a court of law. They nearly all get caught!
To say that no more eucalyptus should be planted is an insult to local people because they know that the plantations that already exist cannot be removed. The eucalyptus that was burnt a month ago is already sprouting from the buried roots. Eucalyptus tree sends it's roots down and sideways to a distance of up to 200 metres in search of water, making it almost impossible to get rid of.
The question is how do you nails these bastards that own one of the biggest industries in Portugal? Maybe the answer is what happens to the burnt eucalyptus, should it be sold at a fraction of the cost?
This is a result of dysfunctional society.
No, its not the society but those in power that make the rules to suit themselves.