The fire that broke out on the island of Madeira on the 14th is “completely under control” and the teams from the mainland and the Azores that helped fight the flames will leave the region, said today the president of Madeira’s civil protection.
“I wouldn’t like to use the term extinguished, at this point, because the fire was very large and there may still be some hot spots that could cause a rekindling that will probably be put out relatively easily,” said António Nunes, in statements to the Lusa news agency at 10:00.
According to the head of Madeira’s civil protection, the fire “is completely under control”, but as there are “some hot spots” what happened on Sunday could happen again, with a rekindling that “was easily put out, especially because it was in an area where everything around it had burned”.
In any case, he added, the situation “does not require special care” and there is no longer “anyone specifically assigned to this purpose”.
According to António Nunes, at this stage the Rural Firefighting Teams (ECIR) are on the ground and, in addition to their normal activity, “will take additional care with these areas that have burned”.
These are “the resources that were already there before the fire started and that will continue until November 30” and that “are part of the rural fire-fighting teams that are on the ground as normal as every year”, he explained.
Regarding the teams that traveled from the mainland and the Azores to help fight the fire, the person in charge indicated that they will return to their origins from today.
The mainland will return on Air Force flights scheduled for late afternoon today and Tuesday, while the elements from the Azores will go on a civilian flight, he said.
“We are very grateful for their service, for the help they gave us. They are now ready to return to their homes,” he added.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System indicate that more than 5,045 hectares of area have been burned.