Access to the top of Pico Ruivo, the highest point on Madeira Island, remains closed., Photo HOMEM DE GOUVEIA/LUSA.
The classified hiking trails of Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo will reopen, albeit partially, tomorrow, after having been severely affected by the fires that burned more than 5,100 hectares of land in four municipalities in Madeira for 13 days.
According to the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN), the PR1 – Vereda do Areeiro is now passable from Pico do Areeiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint, in just over 1.2 kilometres. Initially, it was only planned to reopen as far as the Ninho da Manta viewpoint, but those managing that trail decided that they were meeting to extend the route a little further.
In the case of PR 1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo, the route will be passable between Achada do Teixeira and Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo, over a distance of 2.4 kilometres. As DIÁRIO had already reported, it will not be possible to walk to the top of Pico Ruivo, the site of the flames last August.
With the reopening of this route, the PR 1.1 Vereda da Ilha is also now passable, in the section between the Casa de Abrigo do Pico Ruivo and the parish of Ilha.
In the information released this afternoon, the IFCN warns “of the importance of respecting the barriers and signs installed on the aforementioned routes, because the geological instability currently occurring in the closed areas may put the lives of those who go over the barriers at risk, as well as those who will have to provide assistance”.
