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.
