The Machico Council in Madeira confirmed that it will go ahead with the traditional Festival of Torches. The torches will be lit on Saturday night. The mayor assured this Thursday that all necessary safety measures will be in place. Ricardo Franco while talking to the press said:
The tradition of torches is a secular event that has been held over the years and this year will be no exception. The event will be held in the same format as in previous years.
Preventive Measures Before Lighting the Torches
The mayor assured that all safety conditions are in place, despite the fire that has been raging in Madeira for over a week. He highlighted the history saying that previously the event was held even amid fires on the island, and the same will happen this year.
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He further explained that before lighting the torches, a preventive burning is carried out by the fire brigade in the spaces where they are located. He added that:
The grass and undergrowth that exists near the torches are burned, which means that even on the day of lighting, any ball that falls from the structure will no longer burn , because the space has already been burned.
The plan is that during the lighting of the flares around 20 firefighters will monitor the entire process. Furthermore, the fire is expected to last between 30 and 45 minutes. Franco reinforced that:
In the summer of 2016, when the major fires broke out in Funchal, which unfortunately claimed the lives of many people, torches were lit. What seems to me is that there is an attempt to turn this remarkable tradition […] into a kind of scapegoat for what is happening in Madeira. I don’t think it makes any sense to try to put on the same level what is the result of criminal acts, setting fire to the forest, as an event that is prepared with all the care, with all the prevention.
Petition Against Torch Burning
However, the PAN/Madeira has formally requested the municipality of Machico to cancel the traditional burning of torches. They released a note on Thursday asking to cancel the tradition as a sign of respect and solidarity with the firefighters who have heroically fought tirelessly to combat the fires and in homage to the vast area of territory that was tragically destroyed by the flames.
The sole deputy of the party Mónica Freitas in the regional parliament said.
We recognize the cultural and historical importance of this tradition in the municipality of Machico, however, and given that it involves the use of torches and fire, we consider it inappropriate and even disrespectful at a time when our island is ravaged by fires. This practice, even if controlled, symbolizes something that currently brings immense pain and concern to the people of Madeira.
The petition against the torch burning by PAN which was initiated on Thursday 22 August, 2024 has gathered 382 signatures. The deputy also said that.
This appeal has even been made by other political forces and environmental associations, namely Quercus, and it must be in this sense of unity that, putting political colours aside, we appeal to the responsibility and common sense of the region’s mayors as well.
Festival of Torches – Stance Of The Government
Miguel Albuquerque, the president of the Regional Government of Madeira, did not oppose holding the event. In a press conference on Wednesday, he said that it could proceed as long as it does not compromise the resources needed to fight the fire and does not have implications for Civil Protection.
The regional secretary for Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, had previously stated to RTP/Madeira that the religious festival should take place without burning torches.
The firing of torches is a secular tradition that is integrated into the religious festival of the Blessed Sacrament. They symbolize the bonfires that were made in the past to warn the populations of attacks by pirates and corsairs.
