In the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, the Fajã das Galinhas site is one of the most affected by the Madeira fire that has been raging since Wednesday. The mayor said the site will remain inaccessible for at least two weeks.
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In a recent statement to a news agency on Tuesday, the mayor Leonel Silva said.
At this moment, we have 120 people, 36 families, outside Fajã das Galinhas, of which 42 people [16 families] are under the care of the Community Center of the Câmara de Lobos Municipal Council , and the rest are in relatives’ homes.
The mayor spoke at the community center in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, a parish that includes Fajã das Galinhas. A surprise party was held there to celebrate the 4th birthday of Henrique, one of the three children staying at the facility.
Emergency Relocation and Ongoing Challenges
Leonel Silva explained that the City Council organized the relocation of families to the community center as an emergency measure, initially intended for a short stay. However, the situation changed due to the unstable conditions on the access road to the site. He said:
It is a process that we have to manage in stages […] and the scenario has changed. We can not guarantee a predictable date for people to return safely to their homes. One to two weeks, at least. At the moment, the road is closed, it is impossible to drive on it, because there is a lot of rocky material, trees, and trunks on the pavement.
The local authority are currently exploring alternatives to relocate families to other facilities in collaboration with Social Security and the Housing Institute. This effort aims to provide them with greater privacy and comfort.
Leonel Silva said that the priority this Tuesday is to restore electricity to the site. He revealed that the local authority has mobilized a team, with the support of some residents, to ensure that pets and livestock remaining in Fajã das Galinhas are fed and cared for during this operation.
The mayor also mentioned that a group of families would not return to the area if they were provided with a housing solution. He also highlighted that the City Council already has a plan to construct 30 houses, with a budget of 7.5 million euros. He said
My wish is, by the end of this year, to have the conditions, financial resources and contractual commitments to be able to start the excavations, so that within a year and a half, two years, these buildings can be completed.
The Spread and Impact of the Madeira Fire
The rural fire in the mountains of Ribeira Brava, Madeira broke out on Wednesday. The fire quickly spread the next day to the municipality of Câmara de Lobos and continued over the weekend, reaching the municipality of Ponta do Sol.
In these seven days, the authorities instructed nearly 200 people to leave their homes as a precaution. They provided public reception facilities as well. However, many residents have already returned, with the exception of Fajã das Galinhas, in Câmara de Lobos, and Furna, in Ribeira Brava.
Fighting the flames has been hampered by the now-reduced wind and high temperatures, but there have been no reports of homes or essential infrastructure being destroyed. Recently, the President expressed solidarity with the population affected by the Madeira fire. He also appreciated the work of firefighters.
In the operation, one firefighter was treated at the hospital for exhaustion. However, there were no other injuries. The Regional Government estimates that seven thousand hectares have been burned.
The Judicial Police are investigating the cause of the fire, although the president of the Madeiran executive, Miguel Albuquerque, asserts that it was an act of arson.
