The pedestrian route between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo, affected by the fire on the island of Madeira, will remain closed as it is not safe, while the land consumed by the fire is being cleaned, a source from the Regional Government reported today.
“The emblematic route from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo is one that, having suffered the consequences of the fire in the central mountain range, cannot remain open and there is signage demonstrating this to tourists who visit us that must be respected, because it does not offer safety conditions until it is fully verified”, said the regional secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, Rafaela Fernandes, to the Lusa news agency.
Rafaela Fernandes said that the route, one of the most popular on the island, will require “an intervention in the middle of the section”, with alternatives being created “for those who want to enjoy the views and nature” in that location, “which is compromised”.
According to the governor, work has been carried out to “recover and activate the routes based on inspections to determine whether everything is in compliance” after the fire and other well-known and also highly sought-after sites, namely the Caldeirão Verde and Rabaçal routes, are currently available for visits.
The rural fire on the island of Madeira broke out on August 14 in the mountains of the municipality of Ribeira Brava, in the parish of Serra de Água, gradually spreading to the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol and Santana.
On Tuesday, after 13 days, regional civil protection indicated that the fire was “completely extinguished”.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System indicate that more than 5,104 hectares of area have been burned.
In environmental terms, the official highlighted that work has already begun to clean the land affected by the fire for subsequent reforestation.
“The work of moving the equipment is already on the ground, in accordance with the requests that farmers have made to us, and also the replacement of pipes and cleaning of irrigation channels to guarantee irrigation water”, he added.
Regarding the plant area that is under public management, Rafaela Fernandes alluded to what happened in Boca da Corrida, in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, one of the municipalities affected by the fire, where in one area it was “technically determined that there were conditions to use the trees that already existed”, since only “the tips were burned”.
As there was water available, he continued, “the municipality considered it possible to move forward with the reforestation” of the area, an action that took place in collaboration with the services of the Regional Secretariat.
Rafaela Fernandes highlighted, on the other hand, the work carried out by Madeira Forests over the years, “namely at the level of forest nurseries whose function is precisely to guarantee the continuation of many of the species that are unique to the Autonomous Region of Madeira and which will be very important in the recovery of the area”.
The official recalled that in other similar situations, such as the fires of October and November 2023, “forest nurseries opened their doors to provide public and private entities with plants that have been worked on, free of charge”.
Now, he pointed out, they will also “be available for people to use in this repopulation of the areas that were burned and with the concern of always ensuring the safeguarding of these species typical of Madeira”.
In the case of agriculture, the governor highlighted that the region has a plant bank and provides technical assistance.
“To move the land, it must receive organic matter to become suitable for production and only during the first rains, we are talking about a period between September and October, depending on the first rains, will it be ready to receive the new plantations”, he explained, reinforcing that there is “a very important coordination with the councils and parish councils” to guarantee “an intervention that is determined by technical matters”.