After all, the Regional Government decided to accept external help to combat the fires that have been raging since Wednesday on the island of Madeira.
Due to the worsening of the fire, the Regional Civil Protection Service reported that 80 members of the Special Force will arrive in Madeira in the next few hours to help fight the fires, which are currently on several active fronts. This decision caused some surprise, given that Pedro Ramos had assured earlier in the afternoon that the Region’s resources were sufficient.
“Given the evolution of the situation and taking into account that the weather conditions are making it difficult for the men to act on the ground, and after new contact with the Secretary of State for Civil Protection and the President of the National Civil Protection Authority, the Regional Government announces that all the necessary logistics are currently underway to allow 80 members of the Special Firefighters Force to arrive in Madeira in the next few hours”, he informed, noting that these men will support the work that is already being done on the ground.
“We further inform that at the last minute the resources on the ground were reinforced and the forestry intervention teams assigned to the Republican National Guard were activated”, it states in a press release.
This information comes after Pedro Ramos insisted that Madeira declined the aid made available by the Government of the Republic, stating that only 10% of resources were being used, and help was not needed. The refusal for help was transmitted yesterday by the president of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque.